Kaze Runs Into A Breakup and Hammy Exposition

[4leavesonaclover]

 A/N: In a world where everyone has secondary genders, (though this is subtle) everyone has pheromones that emit different scents depending on emotions. This occurs before Kaze runs away with Sakura. Odin shows up because he followed Niles and has met with Corrin before she jumped, who asked him to pass messages to Kaze. Also the riverside mentioned is the same one of Caeldori's paralogue, I thought it would be a nice reference :)

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Kaze shifted silently through the Hoshidan glade, slowly making his way towards the plains of Hoshido. After Midori had finally settled down, he realized this was no time to sit down and wallow in his failures. Corrin was out there, and he was determined to find her.

A strange sound suddenly stopped him in his tracks. Stealthily, he approached the source. It brought him to a densely forested area, where anyone could seem to disappear into. He noticed two horses tied up near a tree, one black Nohrian steed and one white Hoshidan pegasus. It was then he heard a voice.

"We can't keep doing this." It was Subaki. 

Subaki? What was he doing here? thought Kaze as he approached silently in a way only ninjas could.

Kaze spotted the sky knight with another figure. In the dim moonlight, he could make out shaggy white hair and an eyepatch, realizing it was the sadistic archer that had captured him and Rinkah a year ago, Niles. While Kaze remained watching mostly out of concern for Subaki, he would be lying to say there wasn't a little curiosity in seeing what was going on.

"What about the future we talked about? The running away? Starting a family? That mean nothing now?" Niles's voice would have sounded unbothered to the average person, but for someone like Kaze, who was no stranger to hiding his own emotions, he could sense the hurt hidden beneath.

Subaki's voice was similarly of masked indifference. "Lady Corrin started a family in Hoshido. It didn't mean anything. And I'm not turning my back on Hoshido. So yes, it doesn't mean anything now."

"That's fair," Niles's response was terse. "Not like I can leave Nohr anyway."

"Is that all you have to say?" Subaki's question seemed out of nowhere. What could he possibly mean by that? Kaze thought in bewilderment.

"What the fuck do you want from me? Why ask this now when you don't want this anymore?" snapped Niles.

"I just wanted to know what all this meant to you. The antagonizing, the teasing, the way you convinced me to open, our... activities together. What was the meaning of it all?"

"Fine." Niles's reply was barbed. "It was all just a game to me. You weren't anything special." 

Kaze recoiled at that remark. He nearly gave away himself and a part of him had half a mind to stick a shuriken into the outlaw's remaining eye for the callous response... but another part of him felt that Niles wasn't speaking the truth. Besides, Corrin believed in giving people second chances and seeing the good in people. While the ninja wasn't receiving the best impression, he figured Subaki must have known more about Niles, judging by their complex, long-time affair. And it wasn't like he was any stranger to maintaining facades, Niles was likely using his own.

"A game...?" Subaki's voice was one of uncharacteristic distress. "This was a game to you?! How many times we could have been caught and executed was all a game to you?!"

"What can I say," shrugged Niles, "It's the thrill of avoiding getting caught and playing with fire."

Subaki was silent for a moment before speaking again, unable to hide his hurt. "I thought maybe you weren't so bad, but I guess you are as heartless as people say you are. If not worse."

"Well sorry to ruin your fantasy. Welcome to the real world." Niles sneered.

"Then I'm glad it's over.. Nohrian scum." Subaki finally turned away, storming out of the hidden area. He thankfully did not notice Kaze, the ninja being well hidden thanks to his green hair and clothes blending into the foliage. Niles waited for the sky knight to take his pegasus and leave before soon taking his own horse and heading off in the opposite direction.

Out of concern for the sky knight, Kaze carefully followed the scent of distressed pheromones. He finally found Subaki near the riverside, hugging his pegasus with his shoulders shaking slightly.

Kaze was unsure how to approach when Subaki suddenly looked up in shock and exclaimed, "Kaze?!"

"Subaki?!" Kaze exclaimed back, taken aback from being suddenly noticed. Trying to remain nonchalant, he asked, "What are you doing out here?- Are you crying- what happened?" Fatherly instinct and worry instantly took over when he noticed the sky knight's uncharacteristic tears. Instinctively, he reached out to hug Subaki.

"I- ... I-..." Subaki suddenly broke into sobs, holding Kaze tightly. Kaze wondered if he had ever gotten the chance of a warm, parental embrace. Though, considering the sky knight's lack of room for error, he had a feeling Subaki's upbringing was not a kind one. Kaze did not have a handkerchief with him, so he settled on using his scarf to wipe Subaki's tears. He didn't care if fluids got onto it, after all Midori had spat up on it before.

They stood there together for a while before Subaki calmed down. "Did you follow me?"

"No," replied Kaze. "I was looking for Corrin when I ran into your horses."

"Then you know about me and Niles... don't you."

"Yes..." conceded Kaze, not able to lie about it.

"Are you going to report me?" Subaki seemed resigned to defeat.

"No." Kaze's response was firm. "I could never do that when my wife has also been taken from me for having the capacity to care."

Subaki looked as if he wanted to say something, but did not. He slowly went to wash his face in the river.

"I appreciate your support this evening, but I would like you to act as if this never happened." Subaki finally said with a practiced calmness.

"... Very well. But please take care of yourself."

"I will." Subaki nodded before mounting his pegasus and flying off.

Just then, another voice broke out. "Hark! The darkness whispers! It calls to Odin Dark!"

Kaze spun around in confusion and saw a blond dark mage in bright yellow garb.

"... May I ask what brings you so far into the Hoshidan border?"

"Why of course! I bear the messages of a fair dragon damsel in distress-"

"You mean Corrin?" Kaze's heart skipped a beat. "Where is she? How is she? ... How did you know she was a dragon?"

Odin's expression flinched a bit before he puffed up his chest. "Odin Dark sees all! The darkness whispers to me the answers of the universe! And our paths became entwined when Odin Dark was chosen to assist the fair Lady Corrin in saving her world!"

Kaze was completely lost. "So... how did you find her?"

"Ah yes! Odin Dark and his companions of the night ran into as she fled the ravages of war between two nations! She was swallowed up in the deep darkness of despair. But fear not! I bestowed her knowledge of the great evil beyond the two kingdoms, tucked away in the far realms of the Bottomless Canyon."

"The Bottomless Canyon?!" Kaze felt fear and dread. "How will she ever return from there?"

"Fear not! For there is a forbidden realm there, thought to be of wild tales, only made true! There is a way there and back, Azura has the gift of knowledge. My companions and I remain to guide our lieges toward the path of the true villain in the void, however our lieges are sealed away in a prison of stubbornness."

Although Kaze could barely understand the cryptic mage, he felt somewhat reassured that Azura would be guiding his wife. "You said you had a message from her, right? Did she tell you anything to pass to me? How can I find her?"

"Fear not! Lady Azura first intends on unveiling the dark tale come to life, the true evil from within! While we speak with our lieges, they will make the perilous journey of passing the message to Fort Jinya."

"Fort Jinya..." Kaze felt a rise of hope in him. "Thank you, Odin. I have needed this message greatly."

"Odin Dark does as the universe calls!" The dark mage posed before making an explosion of magic, and "disappearing" (or rather, running away while smoke was in the air).

Although the encounter was a strange one, Kaze finally felt an uplifting feeling. Corrin was one step closer to him.