Eiichi seemed to teether on the way to the palace.

"Are you alright?" Sabine asked, grabbing him.

He smiled at her. "Yeah. I'm more concerned about you."

She furrowed her brow. "If you are then take care of yourself first. Seeing you like this only makes me worry."

His smile vanished. "Sorry."

I glanced at Rosa who was smiling. She really didn't wish him harm despite what he had done, did she?

I looked back at Eiichi as Sabine helped him the rest of the way. He was lucky to have her. Likewise, Tetsuya was fortunate to have Rosalba and even Yuko. While having a heart as fickle as his cousin, Serrano was there for Setty. Meanwhile, I had no one.

"There you are! What was taking you guys so long?" Koukyuu asked.

Hideo blushed. "S-sorry for keeping you waiting."

I furrowed my brow. From what I'd heard from Kei during our mutual time at Tetsuya's place, his sister had someone she loved. Poor Hideo, his love was probably destined to end up the way mine had. Unrequited.

My arm recoiled as someone poked it. "What was that for?" I asked, glaring at Rosalba.

She yelped and pulled her hand back. "Did I hit hard?"

I rubbed my left ear. "No, it's just... I'm not sure how to explain it."

"Oh, I get it! Koukyuu did the same thing to my forehead in the morning!" Hideo said, putting a hand over his forehead.

I sighed. Just how similar were we?

"Are you two that sensitive to touch?" Koukyuu asked as we walked in.

I nodded. "Yeah, it's why my clothes are usually loose." I raised my sleeveless arm.

"Why aren't you wearing baggy clothes?" Hideo asked.

I pushed my hair away from my eyes. "It's because I wanted to try something different."

"Hmm? Why?" Rosa asked, tilting her head.

I looked down. "Just for the sake of pushing my limits."

"Your limits?" the black and purple-haired Seven Light asked, raising an eyebrow.

Koukyuu smirked. "I think I understand."

"You do? Good, because I don't," Hideo said.

She turned to look at me. "My guess is because you want to push your boundaries in things you wear, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that's one way to put it."

"Why would anyone do that?" Hideo asked, furrowing his brow.

"One explores the world via the senses," Setty said as she strode over to us with her fiance. "And it's not just limited to the five physical ones, but also one's own sense of exploration."

Serrano sighed. "Basically, he wants to become less limited in his worldview."

I nodded. It was hard, though. That's why I went with something I was more used to, like clothes. In high school and in university, I had to wear a uniform similar to this. After school, I would take them off at the first chance and change to my robes.

"You shouldn't push yourself, though," Rosa said.

I furrowed my brow and turned away. "Who said I was?"

"I sense discomfort."

"Yeah. I remember you said tight clothes made you feel compressed when we were little. Given what you said, it sounds like that hasn't changed much," Setty said, shaking her head.

I gripped my vest. Had I messed up by trying to fit in with others again?

"Plus, you look fine in your robes," Rosa said, grinning.

My face flushed. "I-I see."

"Frankly, I'm the opposite. Apart from my pajamas and bath gown, I can't wear anything loose," Hideo said.

"That explains your choice of outfits. Though, I think you need to buy new clothes," Koukyuu said, pointing to his exposed belly button.

Hideo sighed as he touched his bare skin. "Yeah, but I like these..."

I sighed. "That's why I'm trying new stuff. You can't always depend on your favorite things to be around. And the same goes for people." I glanced at Rosa. 

Rosa smiled and hugged me. "Aww, but I'll visit when I can!"

"H-hey! Hands off!" I said, pushing her face away.

"Okay, okay! I get it!" She let go of me. "Hmph. Finding you new friends to fill up the void I'll be leaving will be tough."

I ruffled the back of my head. Why did I say anything?

"I don't need a friend," I said, walking away.

"Wait, aren't you going to eat? Dinner is ready," Serrano asked.

"No. I don't feel hungry."

"So you're going to sleep?" Setsuko asked, crossing her arms as she looked up the stairs.

I let go of the rail and stepped down. "I was thinking of reading a book, but on second thought, I think I'll do some extra training. Can I use the training room with holograms?"

"The one downstairs? Of course, you can! But don't touch any of the new equipment! That's for tomorrow."

I sighed. "No need to tell me that. I'm not Kohri."

"Of course, you aren't!" a voice called out.

I rolled my eyes. I shouldn't have said his name. "You aren't a guardian angel, you know. You don't have to pop up whenever I say your name."

He chuckled. "But Mommy always said I was her little angel."

I shook my head. His filter when it came to embarrassing stuff was leagues worse than Hideo's. No, that wasn't it. The goofball had to be doing it on purpose. Honestly, our relationship would've been so much better if he took things more seriously at least half of the time.

"Speaking of Mom, where is she?"

"She's busy, training with the other Seven Hills."

"I better go too!" Rosa exclaimed.

I shook my head. "Aren't you pregnant? How do you expect to train with a kid in your womb?"

"With my angel of course! I can finally summon Caelio! Actually, he's very similar to you!"

I put a hand on my hip and smiled. Then that meant she was in good hands.

"That's why I came to get you!" Kohri said.

"Let me just put these roses in a vase," Rosa said, turning around.

"Are those the ones for Mom?" Setty asked.

Rosa nodded.

Setty held her hands out. "Here, let me take care of them."

She gave them over to her older sister and smiled. "Tell Mom that I love her."

She nodded.

I lowered my head. Father...

"We can go see Dad once we return home," Kohri said, putting a hand on my back. There he went again, behaving as if he had read my mind. It was downright creepy how he did it.

"Yeah, once the war is over," I said, smiling slightly. That reminded me, I probably wouldn't have been able to stay home for long. I had promised Yuri and Sneg to help them restore Sneg to the throne of Yukiryo.

"That's assuming we win," Koukyuu said, sighing.

"We will! We have to!" Hideo said.

Serrano nodded. "If we don't, then we're as good as dead."

"I'm going to go train," I said, walking away.

"Same here!" Rosa said, rushing upstairs.

"Kohri, keep an eye on her."

"I know!" Kohri said, chasing after the princess.

Serrano rushed after the two. Which was a good thing as I didn't exactly trust Kohri to look after someone else given his personality.

I sighed. Even pregnant, she was as reckless as ever. Where even was Tetsuya? Was he spending all of his time baking cookies or something?

Shrugging, I left the others behind and went downstairs to where the hologram training room was. Near the entrance were several machines and glass tubes big enough to fit five Tetsuyas.

"So, these were the machines that Setsuko spoke about," I said, eyeing them.

I put a hand on one of the pods. The glass seemed sturdy. 

Would this really help make us stronger? I knew it worked for Naoru, but he used the vajra when at a lower power than us. The law of diminishing returns could result in only a tiny boost, relatively speaking. No. Even if it was small, it would be helpful. We needed every bit of strength we could get to avoid a repeat of the battle with Daisaru.

"Curious?" a voice called out in a sing-song voice. I turned and saw a grinning Tetsuya with a towel around his neck make his way to me. Yuko tagged along behind him like the ever-faithful squire she was.

"So, you were here, training."

He grinned. "Yeah. What did you think I'd been doing all this time? Making cookies?"

I turned away.

"W-wait? You did, didn't you? Jerk!"

I scoffed. "Excuse me. It's your fault for being so laidback despite the situation half the time."

"That's only my outward appearance. In my head, it's a chaotic mess!"

"Is that so? Well, try not to think too much. Trust me, it only exhausts a person." I passed him and Yuko.

"I'll keep that in mind! I would spar with you, but gotta eat to keep up my stamina."

"Master wasn't going to originally." She sighed. "Took Yuko a lot of work to convince him."

"Yuko! Can't you keep that between us?"

Rosa had left. Were she and the other Seven Hill eating upstairs?

"I see. Well, in that case, I'll join you two," I said.

"Huh? You haven't eaten yet?" Tetsuya asked.

I slid my hands into the pockets of my dress pants. "No. I was going to train, but I'm a little low on energy myself."

Yuko giggled. "At least Sir Hyosetsu realized himself, unlike a certain someone."

Tetsuya grumbled. "I see that Rosa's personality's starting to rub off on you. Well, I think I'll keep your share of cookies for myself too."

"Master! You can't do that to Yuko!" Yuko whimpered.

I sighed. She did sound like the princess.

"Seriously, Tetsuya. Think that Yuko and the princess would be a little less playful if you were a bit more serious," I said, starting up the stairs. "You are going to be a dad soon. If you continue behaving this way, your own kid might not respect you."

"Did that happen to you and your dad? Uh, I mean, Kohri said that he was a bit of a joker like himself."

I sighed. "No. I treated him with respect. It was others who didn't. It was hard watching that happen."

Tetsuya gasped. "Is that why you keep telling Kohri and Rosa to grow up too?"

I stopped and looked over my shoulder. "Yes. Plus, it can get a little annoying after a while. There's a time and a place to goof off."

He lowered his head. "I see. I've tried, but seems that I can't keep a serious demeanor for long."

I looked at the door. "Given you're a social animal, I can see why." Not to mention, his use of it as a coping mechanism.

He ran up to me and patted me on the back. "Sometimes, I feel you know us better than we know ourselves."

I opened the door. There were times when I felt that about him. Despite being a clown, Tetsuya was astute. Just like my father.

"Yuko would be sad if Master wasn't clowning," Yuko said as we exited the room.

"I'm not a clown," Tetsuya said, frowning.

I smirked. "I beg to differ."

"Who asked you?"

I turned away and shrugged. "No one, but I'm not one to be limited by such social rules."

"Hmph, yet you expect people to be asked before intervening in your conversations."

"True. Guess that is a tad hypocritical. But aren't you the same? Getting into others' business?"

Tetsuya crossed his arms and sighed. "Touche!"

I smiled. "Anyway, let's hurry up and eat so that we can spar."

He grinned. "Alright!"

"Can I join too!" Hideo said as soon we arrived at the kitchen.

"Of course. Setty and that perv can too," Tetsuya said.

"Eiichi's asleep, so I don't think he'll be able to," Takuya said.

"Taku! Why didn't you tell me you were back?" Tetsuya asked, running over to him.

Takuya laughed. "I wasn't sure where you were."

Tetsuya put his arm around his neck and ruffled his big brother's hair. "Come on, Bro! Ya could've found me!"

"H-hey! Let go of me! Ya stink!"

I shook my head.

Yuko giggled. "Thanks for trying to help Master earlier."

I looked away. "It's nothing. Just thought it would help with the mission." If he bothered taking my advice...

"Hyo, sit here!" Tetsuya yelled as he pulled up a seat beside him.

"Sorry, but I rather not. You stink."

"H-hey!"

I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh. Tetsuya's frown vanished, becoming a smile. While I might've failed at love, at least I still had others around. Perhaps that's what Rosa meant by I had to find friends to fill the void she would leave. Not that it would be possible to replace her. I'd always thought it a cliche, but people were indeed irreplaceable.

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter ^^! Thoughts? Theories? Predictions?**