"Sorry Weiss...I just feel responsible, and want to make sure you're okay," Ruby said after a while.

"Probably a good idea," Ark said with a light chuckle. "Though I think we should tell him what happened as well.

Amaya blushed as Itachi wiped a tear away from her face. "S-sorry...It's just...Ark told me a-bout what Sasuke said...about my mother," she said softly.

Weiss sighed...again. "It's not your fault, okay? It's not like you burned me." She said, relenting just a little in her coolness.

"Yeah, we probably should. I feel kind of bad for scaring him away with no explanation, but I really didn't have much of a choice." Hikari said.

Itachi nodded. "Ah, I see. I was wondering if he would tell you soon. It is okay to be upset, miss Amaya-chan. Something like that is bound to hurt. Would you like to take a walk with me? I'm sure the fresh air will help."

"True...it's just...I've heard that partners look out for one another and well..." Ruby rambled.

"True, you didn't, and it was better for Amaya-chan to hear it on her own, thank you for that by the way," he replied. "Though I did learn another thing...I never ever want to piss you off," he teased before getting up off the bed, ready to head to the cafeteria in order to get some breakfast.

"I...I would like that," she replied softly. She was just glad that she would be with someone that knew what happened. And even though she was going to get fresh air by herself...having a friend with her would help immensely. 'But...are you two just friends?' a small voice in the back of her head spoke.

"Alright, alright, just stop rambling!" Weiss said.

Hikari chuckled, slightly embarrassed. "Ah...yeah, I guess I can get pretty temperamental sometimes."

Itachi nodded and took her arm, placing her hand in the crook of his arm. "Very well then. I hear that the courtyard is beautiful in the morning." He said.

Ruby blushed at that and just nodded. She knew that she would most likely be scolded if she opened her mouth again.

"Oh well, I guess I can live with it," Ark replied with a teasing smile on his lips as he offered Hikari his hand.

Amaya blushed lightly, but didn't take her hand out of his embrace. "Really?" she asked.

Weiss rolled her eyes and sat down at the table, glaring at anyone who dared to smirk.

Hikari took his hand and smiled. "I hope so, because I'm not letting you get away any time soon."

"Really. And I think it will be more beautiful today." Itachi said, casting her a meaningful glance.

(oh god, it's Draco Malfoy, run!)

Yang snickered, but besides that, stayed silent. "Well then, since the gang's all here...I'm going to get some breakfast," she said as she got up from her seat, drastically resisting the urge to tease both "couples" well, more like the couple of Naruto and Blake and then her sister and Weiss who were acting like a couple. (not promoting it, but Yang would attempt to make a joke about it me thinks)

"I suppose I can manage somehow," he said teasingly before they left the room. While the thoughts of what Sasuke said still on his mind, he wasn't going to let them ruin the good moment he was currently having with his girlfriend. Plus, he did let Amaya know that both of them would be there for her if she wanted someone to talk with.

Amaya got the hidden message behind Itachi's words and noticed that her blush increased in density. "I highly doubt that, at least on this morning," she said softly, hoping that Itachi understood the hidden message behind her words.

Just at that moment, Naruto came back and sat down with a full tray of food. "Did I miss anything?" He asked.

Hikari chuckled and walked with him, deciding to stay quiet and enjoy the walk with her boyfriend.

Itachi made a small sound of understanding. "Well, we should still go and take a look. The fresh air will do us both good."

"Probably," Amaya replied softly though a little confused. She didn't understand why his presence was helping her calm down.

Ark enjoyed the walk to the cafeteria in silence, contemplating everything that had gone on since last night.

"Nothing much Na-kun. Just Ruby being Ruby and Yang being Yang. Though I think Weiss is about to hurt our leader..." Blake commented.

Itachi nodded and walked in silence with her. Mainly he was wondering why he liked her so much. He had known her all of two days, and yet there was just something...right. At least I'm not too much older than her...

When they got to the cafeteria, Hikari pointed. "I see our table. Are there multiple Naruto's?" She asked, seeing the few remaining clones.

Naruto blinked. "So...same as usual, then?" He asked, thinking it sounded pretty much status quo.

"Pretty much," Blake said with a light laugh. "And I think you better dispel your clones, you're weirding out your leader," she added after a short while.

"Someone found out how to use clones, I think," Areku said amused.

'He's a teacher...I shouldn't have a crush on him. It's wrong...but yet...' she thought silently to herself as she walked with Itachi, somewhat enjoying the silence held between the two. It was calming, comforting even.

"Huh?" Naruto looked up to see Hikari's mystified face, and waved. "Right, oops. Dispel!" He said, and the clones disappeared.

"Yeah, I guess so. Well, good for him! I'm glad everyone's getting stronger." She said, moving to take a seat.

When they reached the courtyard, Itachi stopped and looked around. The courtyard was indeed beautiful, colorful flowers glistening with dew in the morning sun. "It is beautiful."

Ruby just shook her head amused at the actions of the fox faunus as he dispelled the various clones. Glancing over in Weiss' direction, she could feel the glare on her and knew that she would envoke her wrath if she opened her mouth.

(speaking of clones, if we do give Naruto a Semblence it shouldn't be clones seeing as how Blake has the equivalent to KBnJ and Sun has the equivalent of Bunshin no Jutsu.)

"I suppose..." Ark said halfheartedly. He still felt as if he wasn't strong enough...not yet anyways.

As they reached the courtyard, Amaya saw all the beautiful flowers that were glistening in the morning sun, causing the girl to let out a gasp. "Wow..." she said softly.

((Okay.))

Hikari glanced over at her boyfriend, and touched his arm lightly. "Don't go down that path. You're plenty strong." She said, not wanting Ark to go the same direction Sasuke had.

Itachi smiled slightly. "I love mornings like this. It's nice to share it with someone." He said.

"Hm?" Areku asked as he was deep in though, not catching what she had said and only responded to her touching his arm.

"It's nice...so calm and peaceful," she said softly not wanting to ruin the moment she was having with Itachi.

Hikari sighed, took his face in her hands, and kissed him passionately. "I said not to think that way. You should be happy with the way you are, since you're easily the strongest of our team. And because I love you just like this"

"I like to come places like this when my mind is troubled. I feel like it helps clear my head." Itachi said, moving to sit on one of the benches.

((Reading a lot of Shojou manga recently...can't resist the mushy stuff! It's really leaking into Wolfie's writing.))

(Not a fan of shoujou manga tbh more a fan of the action mangas: Naruto, Bleach, FMA, etc (though DNAngel is an exception))

Areku was surprised at the kiss but returned it all the same. "Thanks Hikari-chan," he said after he broke the kiss. He was feeling better now, though hearing that his girlfriend loved him the way he was, was a benefit.

"That definitely sounds like me right now...How could mama stay away for so long and not tell me? she asked softly as she responded to Itachi's comment.

((OMG DNAngel was one of Wolfie's favorites!! Well, she watched the anime, didn't read the manga, but still it was awesome!))

Hikari winked at him, smiling. "Any time, Ark-kun." She said.

Itachi hesitated slightly before taking a chance and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I wish I knew. But...I could help you find out, if you want."

(Phoenix has the album "Anges!" which has Byakuya~True Light on it... and can sing it quite well...)

Amaya leaned into Itachi's embrace. "I would like that...a lot, Itachi-kun" she said as she took a small chance, hoping that he wouldn't be annoyed by the change in suffix.

"Any time, hm?" Ark replied before letting out a light chuckle, the last few seconds and the road of thought he was going down now dust in the wind.

((Ooh~ *shivers* That song is so epic, and so perfect, it gave Wolfie chills every time she heard it!))

Itachi smiled, though she couldn't see it. "It's the least I can do for you, Maya-chan." He said, using her nickname for the very first time.

Hikari blushed, and playfully hit his shoulder. "You better not be thinking anything dirty." She said, laughing as she did.

(and Vic kills it :( )

Amaya blushed lightly at the usage of her nickname. "Still...thank you" she said softly.

"I would never think of something dirty Hikari-hime. I'm not my teachers after all," he replied while laughing as well. "Why don't we go ahead and get breakfast?" he asked once his laughter died down.

"You're welcome." Itachi said, not knowing what else to say at the moment.

Hikari blushed even darker. Did he just call me Hime?! She shook her head. "Ah, yeah, breakfast. Sounds good. But, Ark-kun? Why did you just call me that?"

"What, I can't give you a nickname?" Ark asked, though he did like the way she looked with a blush coloring her cheeks.

Amaya just stayed with Itachi as the sun started rising up into the sky. She didn't want the moment to end though...

Hikari shook her head. "N-no, it's not that, I'm fine with it...I like it. It's just...people call Weiss-san "princess" because she's an heiress. I don't want to be seen as the same as her."

Ark stood there for a second before facepalming lightly. He didn't even think of Weiss being called 'princess' because she was the heir to the Schnee Dust Company. He just called her that because it felt appropriate. "That wasn't the reason I called you -hime, Hikari. I called you that because I think you deserve the title, but I can think of something else if you want me to stop. Just not that name, right? he said and asked.