Fire Emblem Fates Redux (Demon Edition)

by Starknight 'Renegade

Demon has been given a second chance to save both families, after being defeated in his past life. Now new faces come through a forgotten destroyed land, to aid in his quest, including a new brother. Writers: -Starnight'Renegade -LyokoDragon15

1. A Second Chance

Demon had literally no idea where he was at the moment. He recalled getting ready to lay siege to Garon's castle for the last fight in Nohr and then... nothing? "I told her it would come to this..." An older voice sighed from behind the rebel king. "But she didn't listen... and now the worst possible outcome has come to pass..."

"What...where am I?" Demon winced feeling injured from... everywhere.

"A space I segregated for just this moment... no one can access this place without my help," the Rainbow Sage explained. "As for your pain... it involves something I'm not proud of doing but needed to for your sanity."

"You!" Demon attempted to draw his Yato blade.

"Calm yourself... you asked for this, young King," the Sage sighed, a door appearing not too far away. "Allow me to... fill in the gap a little. Not long after you readied yourself for the battle against your father, your child was kidnapped. Your attempt to spilt your forces to rescue her and fight at the same time backfired miserably. Three warriors, and only three warriors, ruined both parties and killed everyone. And I do mean everyone."

A painful flash came striking back as a memory, leaving Demon to hunch over. All the pain and distress had returned. "How?!" Demon snapped at the Rainbow Sage.

The older man sighed as he recalled the memory. "Funny enough, because of a fear Pam herself had. One of those warriors was not supposed to be there due to her intervention. I, however, saw his arrival for many reasons. Rage. Research brought to fruition, albeit only slightly..."

"You know of Pam?" Demon asked the Rainbow Sage, as he straightening his form.

"There are... few like myself," the Rainbow Sage started to explain. "People who can see the outcomes of time. I spoke to her before she enacted her plan and she refused my advice, confident in her plan. As you can see... she failed. Horribly."

"Refused? She set back time... with some sort of item..." Demon winced as screams of memories continued to flood his mind.

The sage sighed and repressed them again. "I can remove those... ending memories if you like. However, explanations come first."

"No... keep them, I need to avoid their deaths." Demon explained. "What am I doing here?" Demon asked the Rainbow Sage.

"Going back. Like I offered some time ago." The old man opened the door, showing an image of young Damon on the beach.

"This... Going back again?" Demon asked him.

"Yes... without Pam's intervention. Thus, you'll have the people you should have in the war to help you and neigh ensure victory."

"Wait!" Pam's voice echoed the eternal abyss. She appeared in a flash, breathing heavily.

"I already told you child," the Rainbow Sage sighed, irritation in his voice.

"Stop... If you just go back in time right now, the Dark One is going to detect it... I know what you're trying to do, I cut off a part of the time to protect him from his full power... if we're going to do this... we need to do it right or the Dark One and all his minions will have full memory." Pam coughed out.

The old man gave her a glare that made her shudder. "Really now? Because the last time you said that, you did the cut in guestion, and look what happened! He won! Your plan didn't work at all!" Power seeped from the old man, making both stagger. "You know nothing of how this works."

"Don't patronize me, I've been doing this for more than you can comprehend." Pam warned him with a stern voice.

"Yes..." The sage locked her in place with a spell that rivaled her Uncle's power. Not as great, but close. "But you forget. I've been doing it for far longer."

"Here in this realm but outside in the ultimate existence of space and time? I have help... " Pam glared.

"Would you rather I ask her to do it then? And risk a merger that shouldn't exist?" The Rainbow Sage spat.

"ENOUGH! Would you two stop arguing and just fix this... " Demon growled at the two of them.

The Rainbow Sage brushed off his robes and motioned to the door. "This way. I've already ensured it won't be detected by the Dark One and his minions. Well... except for one. But that will ultimately be Pam's problem."

"I need to cast a protection spell over the realm... The Dark One will be ignorant of Demon's actions for a time... but the more he does, the more he'll be aware that he knows more than he should..." Pam informed the two.

The Rainbow Sage gave her a foul look. "Yes. Because you can stem the flow of memories to someone as powerful as your uncle when you've barely dabbled in the art. Someone with his will, his mind? It will be immediate, with or without your spell. And don't flatter yourself. I was about to explain the conditions of going back before you barged in here." The old man looked to Demon and sighed. "In order for you to go back, I must suppress your memories. Not just for the sake of remaining hidden, but for your own sake as well. That many memories being changed at once in such a young vessel... it would kill you immediately otherwise."

"Will the memories come in if I know a person? Like past memories?" Demon asked, seeing that his mind is still intact.

"Yes... but only if it the face matches to a certain extent. For example, you won't recall everything with Camilla for years, same with all of your lovers from Nohr. And we needn't worry about Hoshido until that fateful day."

"What's different about this timeline?" Demon asked the two.

"… Well? Are you willing to admit your error then, Pam?" The Rainbow Sage asked. "Or should I tell him instead?"

"There was no error... only lapse in judgement... from outsides sources..." Pam huffed.

"And the difference is?" The Sage asked before turning back to Demon. "She warded away some very beneficial people and had a hand in the murder of someone who would have been very dear to you... Your younger brother."

"Leo?" Demon asked.

"… Please tell me that's a joke. He was with you in the fight this time around. But, I suppose you can be excused for the confusion. After all-"

"He has no recollection of it, I cut him off to cut Dahs from the realm, since he had no knowledge of the foundation." Pam explained.

The old man's rage neared its peak. "Child, I will eject you so that you're in front of your cousin if you don't shut your mouth! ...Your younger blood brother, Damon. As in the born from the same womb as you were, same parents, everything. He would have been your true brother."

"I told you I needed a plan of action, he's starting to operate differently now!" Pam snapped at the Rainbow Sage. "Everything I do, I did for him! For everyone! I didn't ask for this! I was forced in to it!" Pam snapped as her flame aura ignited.

"I'm sorry, but can we address the fact that he just said you had a hand in his murder when you, in your terms, 'cut him off?'" Demon asked. "Care to explain that?"

"I prevented his existence, I didn't murder... think of it as an Alternate Reality." Pam explained.

"… Ignoring the fact you dodged your hand in the death of a toddler, what happened was that, at one point, your brother was attacked with his family at the time. She did something minor that tripped up his guard, and the young boy ended up dead because of it. Thus 'preventing his existence.'"

"There are plenty of realities where he does or does not exist... it's why I forward his being to a reality he doesn't... I did what I had to do to protect him... if Demon died already then none of this would matter..." She defended her actions.

"Ignoring the fact that he's instrumental in making the campaign much easier and more efficient in every one he does exist due to both his mind and powers. Yeah. Really good 'protection' there."

"Dahs was cut off for a time... "

"And as you saw, he managed anyway. Regardless of my warning he did."

"After Anak gave him the intel..." She warned him.

"No. Because his research is going to plan, as I told you it would," the Sage bit back. "And you're running out of places to hide because of it."

"Dad... listen, take what he says with a grain of salt, he wants to be brought back in a form again.." She warned her father.`

"Honestly? I and others like me can never truly 'die' in a sense. We come back regardless. My coming back in a form from your father's blood was simply a way of ensuring that 'me' would not die as easy."

"And I told you I'd kill you if I met you like this again..." He reminded him, seeing as the plan to ensure his survival of his loved ones.

The sage sighed. "This has gone on long enough. First of all, you asked me to come, and I did. Altering your memories had the side effect of forgetting that."

"How convenient for you..." Demon said to the Sage.

"There's no such thing as convenience..." Pam said crossing her arms across her chest, giving the sage a glare.

The old man massaged his temples. "Fine. You want the real reason? I'm no expert on this myself and suppressed too much of that, and he forgot. Honestly, you know the true masters of the mind, Pam. Ria's skills in particular far exceed my own and she would have done it perfectly. But all of this is pointless, because he'll forget this happened-"

"I̡͍̗̘̒ͯ̏̌ ̖̱̎ͧͤͧ͠s͖̼̯̪͚̺͛ͫ͐̾ͧͥ͢͢͠e̢ͧ̂ȩ̪̳͗͂̈́ ̷͍̲͛ͮͮ̒͋̾̏̓y̆o̶͉̟͝u̦͖͓̠͊̏͛ͩ̈,̢̡̥̣́ͩ̀ͬ̔ͬ̀.̷̟̞̻̖̱̪̊̑̈́ͨ̄̕͜.̷̣͎͎̯̎ͭ̇̿̈̓͠.̢͛.̿̈́.̣̹̝̥̯̖̍ͨͦ͞.̳͇ͫ͋̀.̨̢̝̰̌͊̂.̲ͬ."

Pam and the Rainbow sage looked up hearing the voice. "Dad the portal now!" Pam screamed as she sent a light out. The Rainbow Sage shoved the rebel king in and slammed the door as darkness attempted to swallow them.

SH̶̷̡̡̧̛̥̥̟̖̭̗̃ͤ͒͒͋́̀̒̅̾̎̂̊̓͢͢A͕̬̫͔͍̤ͫ̉̂ͧD̮̗͍̄͛ͪ͏̝̗͗͌̅̓͞ ̶̡̫̗̯̉͌ͪͨ͒̅̃͒ͤͫ͟͞S̸̨̛̗̱̹̱͍̗̆̈́̓ͤ̈͜T̴̴̩͉͍̜̫̆̌ͧ̀ͬ̓̉ͅO̡͖̝͍̤ͨ̃ͧͮ̌̾́͝͞P̝̟͌̾̚͘ ̩͚͆̏͘T̨̧͕̥̭ͅḨ̗̮ͥ͞E̴̵̛͇̣̠̘͚͉̺͉͎̱̤̻̹͇̞͋̈́͛́͆͒́̀̊ͬ͐̀̚̚͟M̸̹̼ͧ͋̄͒ͯ̏̉̓!̟͕̥̭̥͔͗̊̄̇ͮͭ͝҉̵̤̭̗̤̏͒̒̐̐̏ͨ̊͟҉

"… Too late... but I remember everything now..." The spymaster growled, his eyes locked on Pam.

"You won't in a few minutes!" Pam yelled out as she summoned a bright oval like sphere, as time began to slow down.

A black creature lept up and stopped the spell. "No no... You don't get to leave yet..." Dahs growled as his pet dragged the girl over. "I'm going to make you suffer for what you did..."

"Another time wretched creature!" Pam snapped summoning a curved dagger of his design and stuck it in his left leg, before disappearing in a white smoke.

"Gah!... Little whore..." Dahs growled as he pulled it out. "It won't matter... The other me will remember soon enough..."

A moment after Demon was shoved in to the gate way, reality began to warp and reverse, as the light began to consume the entire abyss.

/"It's not much... but, because of our actions, The Dark One and his followers will be unaware of what took place... just like that time on the beach, but be careful... the more you do, the more they'll find out that something took place and quickly subvert you... Good luck...Dad..."\\

Damon's head pounded as he picked himself off the sand, blood pouring from his fresh wound. "Damon!" Camilla shouted as she rushed over to the injured child, a cloth already in hand. "Oh Gods, are you okay?!" Camilla had tears already streaming down her cheeks, she drew a sharp glare at Xander for a mid second. Xander already was already kneeling down to examine his wound. The pain didn't even bother him... that or he was still in shock of what just happened. Camilla gently shook Damon after she wiped away the blood from his face on her third handkerchief. "Damon?" Camilla said gently causing him to snap out of his trance.

"What happened?" Damon asked the two, seeing as it all went blank when the blade shattered. Leo stood in between Xander and Camilla.

"Ouch... a little closer and that would've taken your eye." Leo remarked, followed by Camilla slapping Leo upside the head. Elise rushed past Xander and Leo grabbing a hold of Damon hugging him tightly.

"Damon's hurt!" Elise cried. Damon moved his right hand on the wound seeing the blood on it, he just sat there in silence, a slight frown formed on his mouth in place of the sobbing.

Well...not a fond memory...

---

*Seven years later*

"Damon," Garon stated, bringing the 15-year-old out of his trance.

"Yes Father?" Damon asked his father.

"I have a couple people I'd like you to meet." A pair of twins walked through the door and stood at either side of the king. One had vibrant pink hair, while the other had an icy blue."To my right is Felicia. To my left, Flora. They are to be your maids and assistants from this day forth."

Damon's eyes widened seeing them...his heart was practically ramming outside of his chest with ferocity. Memories of passionate nights, moments funny and sad flooded his head, all leading up to a dull pained screaming from them both. But despite some being clear, mainly when he was alone with them, many were clouded... like something or someone was missing. "…..Thank you father..." Damon bowed his head in respect.

"… To reiterate, my name is Flora, and this is my younger twin Felicia," the blue haired girl said in a slight monotone as she bowed. "Please take care of us, Master Damon."

"Well... I'll make my way to the Northern Fortress father... unless there is anything else?" Damon asked Garon.

The old king frowned. It was a certain day in October, the 31st to be precise. For some odd reason, the young prince always remembered it to be a somber day for the whole family, but he didn't know why. "Nothing. Your siblings and I are off to the cemetery for the next few hours. Gunther will be guiding you back today." The king of Nohr turned and left, leaving Damon confused. This didn't happen last time. Xander brought him back and they trained after they returned before the Crown Prince had to go home.

"Are you ready to leave, young prince?" Gunther asked, standing at the door diligently as his old friend left.

"… Yeah..." Damon replied hesitantly before following the veteran out, his new maids following him closely.

Damon would return to his keep sitting on the bed while his new maids worked... well, one was trying her best, while the other one was falling all over the place. "Hey, Flora... did the King seem... off to you?" Felicia asked her sister, narrowly avoiding dropping some linens.

"… It's clear he's lost someone dear to him. Today is likely that person's birthday or death day," the older twin replied, folding the sheets somewhat neatly before storing them in a chest. "Our new master probably knows more than me." She grabbed a wicker basket and left the room to get more laundry, leaving the two alone.

"….." A spark of... some sort of odd memory that was unfamiliar of the talks of another prince that was lost, began to appear in his mind. "Father... apparently... had another child," he explained to Felicia. "Today is his birthday if the rumors are to be believed."

"Woooow... big sister is so smart!" Felicia gushed as she continued her work, or at least attempted to.

Another prince? Could that be that blood brother the Rainbow Sage was talking about?

---

*Three years later*

Damon was lifting more than two hundred and fifty pounds of weight under his work out bench, stressing his muscles to capacity, while turning red from each number he broke from lifting the weight. "Oh, Damon darling!" Camilla called out to him, making him put the weight down.

Damon began to reclaim lost memories of Camilla very recently as well, making him near unable to confront his true feelings as he was still recording on what he has reclaimed in his mind. "Yeah?" Damon yelled back.

"There's a person Xander, Leo and I want you to meet! Come, she's in the hall." Camilla pulled Damon to his feet and playfully held him close to her as she guided him to the hall. While this would have aroused him in any other situation, a more pressing question was teasing at his mind.

"Please Camilla no more surprises, the last surprise was a surprise bath..." Damon silently cried seeing that was two years ago.

"Oh, don't worry my little prince... she's actually a really nice girl... or so Selena says."

Wait... wait... who? I don't remember this.

Damon became skeptical of what or who this person he was being introduced to. "Well okay, then let me do the walking, I don't need you to push me for embarrassment sakes.." Damon complained.

"Ooooh, you're no fun," Camilla mock pouted as they came up to the door to the hall, the older princess releasing her 'little brother' before opening the large wood structure.

A woman with deep blue hair was chatting with Selena, Odin and Laslow. She was dressed in light, navy blue cloth armor with a cape and thigh high boots and had a strange sword at her side. Not Nohrian craft, but similar, with a large gap in the guard in and odd shape.

Who...is she?

"Uhhhhhhhhhhh...hi?" Damon asked seeing as he had no recollection of this woman.

Her somewhat cheery demeanor disappeared as she rose, her face becoming sterner as she met the gaze of the young prince. "Greetings. You must be Prince Damon. My name is Lucina, and I shall be the keeps Captain of the guard from this day forth."

"Who?" Damon asked looking to Camilla for support, seeing as he never heard of her.

"She claims to be from a far-off land... the Outrealms, apparently," the Nohrian princess explained.

"Was she...uh...properly vetted?" Damon murmured to Camilla.

"That's why we're assuming the Outrealms. She has no history in Nohr or Hoshido, but these three claimed that she's an old friend so we're trusting her for the time," the purple haired woman informed him.

I want to say no... but, I have a feeling she's alright.

"…. Fine, you got the job I guess, sorry for the skepticism but...foreigners don't like Nohr very much...Gods knows why. " Damon sighed.

"I could give you a demonstration, if you want," she offered, resting a hand on the pommel of her blade. "A quick spar to show my skills?"

"With who?" Damon asked Lucina.

"I heard you're the strongest person in the building."

"Yeah but I just worked out, so I'd be probably at a disadvantage." Damon gave her a look.

"I'm sure I can fight her," Gunther offered.

"Go crazy." He backed up by Camilla's left side.

Lucina drew her blade and inhaled slightly as Gunter took out his spear. "Shall we move this outside? I fight better on my horse and I wish to properly gauge your skills," the old veteran requested.

"By all means," Lucina nodded, her face blank as everyone went outside. As Gunther whistled for his horse, Selena finally felt the need to speak up.

"Uh, Gunter... I don't think that's a good idea..." This drew an odd look from Damon. Since when did she try to stop a fight?

"It's fine, Se-Selena," the blue haired woman stated as she readied herself.

"Wait you knew her?" Damon asked Selena from behind her.

"Knew her? I fought in the same battle she did. Same as Odin and Laslow." Both men nodded at her statement.

Damon's left eye twitched a couple times. "Why couldn't you just have vouched for her then? 'Selena'?" Damon said as he knew that wasn't her original name.

"She's... changed... and I'm scared to think what the others like if this is what happened to Lucina." All three retainers shivered, and it likely wasn't for anything good.

"Are you ready yet?" Lucina droned as Gunter finished prepping herself.

"An anxious lass, are you? Very well. En guard!" Gunter snapped the reigns of his horse, spurring it forward to meet he blue haired woman. She waited until the moment he lanced at her to move, slipping out of the way seamlessly before landing a hearty strike on his side with a leaping slice. She wasted no time in her next attack, her blade shimmering for a moment before she called out her next attack.

"Aether!" Another leaping strike made her body glow slightly, while the next hit slashed through the horse, seeming to somewhat ignore the armor.

Why do I not have any recollection of her? It's like she was never supposed to be here... yet here she is? Should I be cautious around her?

Lucina let out a cry as the silver lance licked her skin, the horse bucking her away. "Impressive... for one that uses a sword, you do decent damage," Gunter praised as he readied his next attack. But something seemed off about the woman now. Like her aura had been raised to a whole new level.

"You underestimate me... if you think that was enough to do me in," she growled, picking herself and her blade off the ground.

"Hooo boy..." Odin sighed, knowing exactly where this was going.

Damon just watched how she moved and operated, she was near expert with very little room for error.

She is pretty good...

And then, it happened. Out of nowhere, there was a serious look in her eyes as her blade was readied. "You will not stop me!" With a vicious slash, she cleaved the leg off of Gunter's horse, forcing him to tumble off as the falling beast. Before he realized what was happening, she slammed the blade next to his head, digging the point into the ground. "… Where I'm from, this is a sign that we've won the spar. Unless you'd like to continue without a horse?"

…. Gods...

Gunter sighed and let out a smile. "I concede. Only, I wish that you had left my horse alive," the old veteran chuckled as he picked himself off the ground.

"I learned long ago not to hold back. No matter the cost," Lucina stated coldly, swinging her blade to rid it of blood before sheathing it.

"Well it looks like you have the job." Damon nodded, while turning to his friends and retainers.

"Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get a guard rotation started and begin my training." Lucina turned on her heel and went into the keep, leaving a slight chill in her wake. And unlike the twin maids, this wasn't brought on by magic.

"Ahem... well if you have any more...surprises Camilla, now would be the time." Damon said to Camilla.

"Nothing else. Now then, we must be getting home." She planted a playful kiss on his cheek and smiled. "See you later, my darling prince. Laslow, Odin, Selena." The three bowed before beginning to follow her to the carriage across the keeps bridge.

"Uh...bye?" Damon sighed as he made his way towards his fortress, but before he did, he yanked Selena's pigtails. "What's her beef?" Damon asked his protector.

"Ow! First of all, never pull a girl's hair. I'd have hurt you for that if you weren't Lady Camilla's brother," Selena growled, rubbing the spot where her hair was pulled gingerly.

"You wouldn't hurt me. You... loooovvveeee me too much to hurt me." Damon teased Selena causing her to pause, hearing that.

"Tch. As if. Anyway... about Lucina..." The red head's tone turned somber as old memories were dragged up. "Well... you remember that battle I told you about, right? The one Odin, Laslow and I were part of too?"

Damon recalled. "Must've been big and important..."

Selena nodded. "It was... And honestly? It hurt all of us. Some far more than others..."

Why didn't she talk about this before? Like she mentioned her homeland before...but it was very vague.

"Tell me... Have you ever heard of Naga and the Fell Dragon, Grima?" Selena asked.

"Nope." Damon shrugged his shoulders.

"Where we're from, they were considered gods. Only Grima was far more evil and malevolent. That fight I told you about? It was with Grima. She's seen that battle twice now... we both have. I'll explain the specifics later if you want, but just... bear with me. Near the end, all of our friends and loved ones were getting ready to kill the Fell Dragon. But his power... it was simply too great. We suffered heavy losses to our main army early on, leaving only the officers left to kill him."

"…...Why does that sound familiar...?" Damon asked rubbing his head, feeling a vague and clouded vision enter his mind.

"At the end of it, all of us were battered in bruised. Lucina's father... King of Ylisse, ordered us all to run while he slayed the dragon. But all of us refused. Lucina, his wife, sister, and his most trusted friend more than the others. But his friend in question was a powerful mage. In an effort to protect us, he sealed us in a spell that repelled everything... even time. But we could all see what was happening from within. So many of us tried to break that barrier to help them, to protect the people we loved. But those who were outside the spell were forced to help... and that number is far greater than I'd care to admit... my parents included."

A frown was placed on Damon's face hearing that. "I'm sorry... I didn't know." Damon said with a monotone voice.

"It's fine. I've learned to cope. But Lucina... out of everyone, I think she and one other person took it far worse. She blamed herself for being weak. Unable to help them more, even with her bloodline. From that day on, she became obsessed with getting stronger so it would never happen again. But if I'm being honest? I think she lost two men she loved on that day. And that's why she was so torn up over the issue. Her father, and his best friend. His army's tactician; The Grandmaster, Robin. And you know... out of everyone, we all expected at least one of them to live. That is, until Naga confirmed our fears. Robin landed the killing blow on Grima. It tore us all to pieces hearing that. Even more so when we found a few feathers and his primer at the sight of the clash."

"So what brought you here under Camilla's care?" Damon asked Selena.

"Originally, it was to find people to help us rebuild Ylisse. But... something came up..."

"You had to realize we're at a cold war with Hoshido right?" Damon asked the retainer.

"Uh... yeah... that..." Selena shifted, knowing that wasn't the whole story.

Damon could see this was a conversation leading to... painful memories. "I...listen you don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to bring up the past, I rather not bring up my past mistakes...heh.." Damon tried to force a smile.

"No, it's fine. But if you have any questions, I suggest you ask now, I can't keep Lady Camilla waiting any more than I have already," Selena assured him.

There was one question pricking at Damon's mind. "That man... Robin was it? Why did landing the final blow on Grima confirm something that you all were afraid of?"

Selena sighed, figuring this would be a question. "It's complicated, but to put it bluntly? He was part of Grima that got amnesia. He didn't have much of the Fell Dragon's power, but enough to use it against him to actually kill him. But doing so killed Robin too due to their connection."

Damon was concerned about the threat they were facing in her homeland."But was the threat stopped?"

"Yes. For good. Had Chrom finished it, Grima would have only been sealed, but Robin would have lived. What Robin did? It was so we could live the rest of our days in peace... happy..." Tears rimmed her eyes at the fond memories. "That damn idiot... always putting us before himself..."

Who does that sound like...? I have a feeling that fate is fucking with me... because I'd do the same damn thing.

Selena sniffled and brushed the tears away. "Alright... I need to get back to Lady Camilla and the others. And uh... Damon?" She hugged the man, a move that shocked him slightly. "Thanks. For listening, I mean. It feels good to finally get that off my chest."

"….. Uh you know, weren't you ordered to watch me?" Damon asked as he was trying to find a nice way of asking to hang out with him, to get her mind off of her duties.

"Heh... Yeah. But Lady Camilla is getting Beruka and I new weapons when we return... but maybe we can hang out when I get back?" She offered with a small smile. "It was nice to just chat, you know? Hell, I can clear up some of the confusing parts of that story too if you want."

"Oh no, I rather not have a Red head Tsundere beating the absolute Fuck out of me." Damon laughed rubbing the back of his neck.

Selena looked at him in confusion and slight rage. "Damon... what's a Tsundere?"

(._. ) … Oooooooh Fuck.

"Um... don't you have to go report to Camilla?" Damon asked trying to change the subject.

Selena stared for a moment before stomping on his foot, her steel unimpeded by the cloth and leather. "That's for the-"

*Crack*

The two stopped hearing the crack in his bone. "...ow..." Damon said feeling the muscle and bone splinter.

"I uh... see you!" Selena fled into the carriage before Camilla could figure out just what the extent of the damage she caused was.

Damon made a slow limp as his right foot was recovering from the blow of the 'Tsundere' stomp.

Dear Journal, today I made a girl mad... side note, wear protective boots from now on.

---

*3 years later*

Damon just finished polishing his blade, mentally preparing himself for what was to come in a few more months. That fateful battle at the Border Canyon. The door creaked open revealing Camilla, as she smiled seeing Damon working on the blade that Xander had given him. "You know...knocking was invented for the purposes of doors?" Damon said to his sister, while getting up to put his blade by his bed side.

"My apologies, my sweet little brother, but... we have more visitors like Lucina..." She announced.

"More?" Damon asked, seeing as last one was just as precarious.

"Afraid so..." Gunter winced. Ever since Lucina took over, the keep had never been more well-fortified and everyone was, dare they say it, happy while well trained. But gods help you if you pissed her off. "Five of them this time. It took Lucina's word to keep one of them from being killed on the spot based on his appearance."

Damon looked at Camilla with a bit of skepticism. "Where are all these canny officers coming from? Don't tell me the same place as the last one?" Damon asked Camilla.

"… Please don't make me lie..." The older sister sighed.

You got to be shitting me...

"Fuck me..." Damon face palmed himself.

"As much as I'm sure she'd love to, you have guests waiting for you," Lucina stated, standing at the door to the hall.

Don't be coy 'sister' I know you have been leering at me for years...

Damon just gave Camilla a look. "...Right..."

It was, to be frank, tense in the hall when Damon opened the door this time. A red haired thief was sucking on a lollipop and relaxing in a chair, dressed up in usual outlaw garb and had a few lollipops strapped on a belt around his chest and candy in his pockets, a Hoshidan looking swordsman with short black hair was practically daring the guards to attack again, and a green haired woman that was trying to ignore the tension in the air. She was wearing mostly red and pink to boot, Damon noticed. Her gloves, thigh high boots and dress were red, while her cape, sash, glove cuffs and what looked like a garterbelt were pink. She wore gold cuffs under her gloves, and her hair was held in place by a gold ornament with a red jewel hovering between the prongs, and her hair was tied up in the back with a red ribbon. He also noticed that dress was more like a corset with how short is was, how much thigh she was showing off, and how it hugged her slightly above average breasts.

Right... this is... wait. Is that...a ….chick with... bunny ears?!

Damon started to suppress a snorting laugh before turning around resting his head in between Camilla's chest. He felt something drag him away and pin him to the floor, along with the faint pressing of claws on his back. "One does not laugh at a taguel..." A woman's voice stated.

"Sssskkk...PFFFF HAHA! AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAH!" Damon let loose a barage of painful laughs, from imagining before she turned in to a vicious... beast.

"I suggest you stop, Prince," the man with the candy advised. "She bites. Hard."

"I can't! HAHAHAHAHAH! I never knew those type of beast shifters existed! Wolfskins sure...but, bunnies?! " Damon continued to find it funny as the claws were still in his back.

"She has literally torn entire armies to shreds on her own. I suggest you stop," the samurai warned him. "Her claws will sever your spine if you don't."

Bitch I have dragon like abilities.

"Okay... Okay...enough play time... off we go..." Damon grunted as he placed his hands to the floor before slowly lifting himself up off the floor.

The rabbit sighed and removed her foot before changing back. "Pardon the rudeness, but being the literal last taguel has left me more than a little... defensive of my race." Her hair and eyes were as brown as her fur as the giant rabbit, with white ears. Her skin, while still considered white, was noticeably tanner than her companions. And, now that Damon noticed it, she had fur on her wrists in the shape of cuffs, and some around her waist as well. Or was it an article of clothing that looked like fur covering her lower regions? Regardless, she also had a tail, and her more than slightly revealing purple armor seemed made for when she transformed.

"Who would slaughter such lovable...bun...rabbit...beast...shifters?" Damon asked breathing out and controlling his breath from laughing.

"The Fell dragon, hunters, slavers..." The red-haired man listed off. "Need I go on, Red?"

"Are you sure there aren't any... rabbit sanctuaries? Like...under ground?" Damon asked seeing as rabbits were subterranean dwellers.

"We lived in the forests," the woman rebuttled.

"What were you suicidal, rabbits don't live up on the surface... they dwell beneath it for protection." Damon argued.

"… You realize you're talking to a woman who transforms into one, right? Not the actual creature?" The woman pointed out.

"Did that help your kind against the Fell Dragon?" Damon asked a factual question.

"Would it have been any better underground when it caused earthquakes when it landed?"

Damon shrugged. "Well usually surface buildings are the first to collapse..."

"Moving on from that," the soft spoken green haired woman interjected, not wishing for hostilities.

"Are you an elf?" Damon asked.

"Manakete. I turn into a dragon," she explained.

"Can I have my wish?" Damon asked.

"Jokes too? What don't you have, Red?" The candy sucking man asked.

"Well I've been known to be spoon fed by Camilla a lot... I drink? I fight... and I lift a lot of poundage..." Damon was listing the stuff he has been through.

"Fun. I literally steal candy from babies," the red haired man smirked.

"You're...a ...sick...fuck..." Damon gave him the Demonic stare.

"Um... introductions are in order, I believe," the green haired woman stated. "I'm Tiki, the Voice of Naga. The man you're talking to now is Gaius, Panne is the taguel, and the man with the sword over there is Lon'qu."

Damon scratched the back of his scalp. "The voice of who?"

Tiki almost looked offended before remembering Lucina's talk with her. "Right... you don't know of her... she's a divine figure where we're from."

"Yeah...my father literally worships a dragon statue circle thing above him...so...faithful differences I suppose."

"So the same basic thing," Lon'qu pointed out. "We know nothing of your divinity either."

"I could give two shits about them, just saying." Damon was very blunt about it, seeing he has ran in to painful experiences with now deity like help.

Tiki cleared her throat before continuing. "We have two others, but they were more interested in... other things when they came here," she explained. "A Wyvern Rider, Cherche, and a Dark Mage, Tharja. Tharja immediately started to set up her own little room and Cherche wanted to see how you took care of wyverns here."

"Hey Camilla?" Damon asked for the Nohrian Princess.

"Yes, Damon?" She asked.

"If every one of my siblings have violet eyes... why do I have red eyes?" Damon asked his 'sister'.

"Partial albino?" Gaius asked jokingly, taking out another lolli.

"My stubble would be white asshole. Sorry short today, had nothing to eat, not your fault." Damon apologized.

"No problem. I'm more interested in seeing if you guys have work for us," the man shrugged.

"What... is it you all do again?" Camilla asked sweetly.

Besides being fucking canny...

"I'm a thief, Lon'qu is a Myrmidon, Whiskers is a rabbit girl, and Tiki is a dragon," Gaius explained.

Note to self, tell Beruka to keep Gaius out of my belongings...

"So, Red, what is it we can do here?" The man continued, turning his candy in his mouth.

"Red?" Damon asked.

"That's a quirk of Gaius," Lucina sighed. "He gives people weird nicknames."

"Can I beat him if he changes the nicknames frequently with me?" Damon asked Lucina.

"If you can catch him. He was our best thief for a reason," she shrugged.

Lon'qu sighed and started heading out, his katana in hand. "If all we're going to be doing is mundane talk, I'm going to go train."

Damon just held out his left fist, while pretending to do a crank, twitching up his left middle finger.

I can already tell that this guy is going to be... 'Fun'

"Don't take it to heart Red," Gaius assured him. "Lon'qu don't like talking much is all."

"Mundane my ass, I'm tons of interesting! Fun and lovable!... when I'm not in an uh drunk mood..." Damon thought about his choices in life.

"Huh... didn't Sunshine say she'd be back by now?" Gaius asked Tiki.

"Perhaps she's still reading?" The manakete asked.

"Who is Sunshine?" Damon asked.

Tiki offered one word for her answer. "Tharja."

"I can tell I'm going to need my talking stick for this... wait... or is that my poking stick.." Damon thought of his 'stick' which was actually a very sharp jagged hunting spear.

"Quit worrying," a familiar sounding voice deadpanned as she walked in. "I was just finishing looking through the library."

Damon's eyes almost shot out of his head at the woman that was walking in. He expected Beruka from the voice, but this woman was most certainly not her. The skin-tight uniform of a dark mage clung to the woman's figure, raven black hair cascading down her back to about hip length, crowned with a gold ornament. Tired, or perhaps bored, purple eyes peered at everyone. And speaking of figures, she rivaled Camilla with no trouble at all, though she seemed to lack as much muscle and definition due to her role as a dark mage and preference to books.

Damon's mouth was practically hanging from his jaw. "…..I'm sorry do you need to go get changed... you know out of your bed gowns?" Damon asked seeing the very...revealing aspects of her body.

"That's actually what dark mages here wear too, Damon," Camilla informed him. "For some reason... no one is quite sure why, but they almost always wear that."

Yes because staring at both of you is giving me seductive and ….lewd thoughts! I mean come on! I think you wear that Camilla to get on my 'bad' side!

Damon made a somewhat audible gulp. Tharja's eyes quickly turned into a piercing glare that sent a message loud and clear. She was not to be seduced or hit on by him, or likely anyone. She clung to an odd book at all times too, so it seemed that she was more than willing to hex him or anyone that tried.

About Face!

Damon moved his right foot behind his left and spun around. "Right introductions are over, now I will be going to drown myself in an iced bath..." Damon said as he had a look of pure terror on his face.

"We'll be here," Gaius stated as he took out a small book and started to leaf through it.

"Um... Damon..." Tiki grabbed his shoulder about half way down the hall.

Don't react, don't talk...don't react... don't talk!

"Yes?" Damon stopped immediately as he turned to reply.

FUCK!

"I wanted to apologize for everyone's tone... Tharja especially," the Voice of Naga said, bowing her head.

"Oh don't worry... it's not like something I haven't dealt with before..." Damon patted her on the head.

The green haired woman nodded somberly. "Yes... Lucina... I apologize on her behalf too. I assume her or Severa told you already? Or Owain or Inigo?"

Just then the remembrance of an audible crack to his right foot reminded him. "Yeah...let's just say I learned of several painful realizations including past stories that I will forever not be ignorant too... for my sakes at least..." Damon shivered from the thought of experiencing that again.

"Well, I have a decent feeling you've figured out that Lucina was changed by the experience if Severa didn't tell you. But Tharja... she definitely took it worse... that book she's carrying is... well, a quick back story on her first. Tharja was obsessed with Robin. She was even willing to change her personality to gain his affections. She ignored advances from all other men, she was convinced she was to marry him one day..."

"Trust me, I only go after the women who share ….mutually beneficial relationships..." Damon worded that out carefully.

"That book though... it used to be Robin's Primer," Tiki explained.

"Let me guess... That's the only thing she has left of him?" Damon asked Tiki.

The manakete nodded. "Indeed. But her obsession is far, far worse than we thought. She's convinced she'll run into him again one day and has been doing... odd things to it. Says it's so it'll be ready for him."

"Oh sweet mother of mercy..." Damon sighed with fear.

Tiki nodded again, placing a hand on his forehead and pushing magic into it. "Indeed. But I'm worried for her, obsession non-withstanding." Damon felt the headache fade into nothingness before she removed her hand. "She works so hard on that book that she falls asleep or loses track of things more often now... and I have no idea what the men of this country are like. You seem nice, but this place... it doesn't sit that well with me. There's so much negativity and bleakness..."

Damon shrugged hearing that from her as she walked with him. "Sits fine with me."

"I just wish for you to order she not be touched if she should lose track of things. Just to be safe."

"I...I'll see what I can do, but I have no real authority over official matters at the moment, seeing as I am in training to be ready to be at that administrative level." Damon explained.

Tiki gave him a light smile. "Lucina seems to answer to you. So long as she enforces it, I doubt anything will happen."

"Well yeah what presides in the Northern Fortress and the country lines." Damon agreed, seeing he held governorship over the fortress and the territory.

"If you could help my friend, I would appreciate it," Tiki requested again, a pleading look in her eyes.

"...I'll make sure she's safe here..." Damon sighed, seeing he had to be careful with these new officers appearing.

"Thank you, my prince," the manakete sighed in relief, taking a knee. "May Naga guide you one your path."

"Meh... I really have no knowledge of her, so it isn't...appropriate to give me that kind of blessing..." Damon said seeing he is ignorant to her faith.

"A blessing is a blessing. You'll see," she smiled before beginning to walk away before coming to a full stop. "By the way... why is it you have human ears?"

Damon froze hearing that. "Excuse me?"

"There's dragon blood in your veins. Ancient too. Some of the first dragons like Naga and Grima actually."

"Please don't tell me you're just...trying to worship me..." Damon snickered.

"No. If I were to worship anyone, it would be the man who saved my life," she replied evenly.

"Right... well I'm sure you must be crazy to think I'm a dragon..." Damon shrugged hoping she'd be ignorant enough to not suspect anything.

"I've been old enough to fight since the age of the Hero King Marth. You aren't shaking me that easily," Tiki informed him.

Well the confines of my mind are safe from your grips...

"And I'm sure you have interesting tales to tell..." Damon gave a trollish answer.

Tiki sighed and looked into his eyes. "Enough of the games. You're a manakete like myself."

"Prove it..." Damon said to Tiki. She sighed and simply tossed a dragonstone to him, the stone activating and showing off his horns and wings in mere moments.

"Dragon fang," she stated. "Powers of the first dragons, along with the use of dragon veins scattered throughout the world. Your blood is purer than most, meaning you're a direct descendant." Tiki took the stone back, the black leathery wings disappearing along with his straight black horns. This dragon form was like none other though, from the glimpse she got. "You're likely a Dark Dragon judging by the scales and horns." Demon made an audible growl behind his teeth seeing, she now has information on him. "Oh, don't be so mad. I have no reason to divulge your secret no or ever. I don't like blackmail."

"No but you do like preserving life..." He stated, with red glare in his eyes.

Tiki sighed and decided to break even. "How about this? I'll tell you my secret and we'll call it even?"

Damon got a hold of his urges and senses. "Fine..." He calmed himself down.

The manakete shifted her feet and sighed. "I... liked Robin. Even after learning he was Grima."

"That...how is that a secret to me?" The Dragon Prince asked.

"My life isn't that interesting. And do recall, I'm servant to Grima's mortal nemesis," Tiki reminded him.

"Well you woke something I was trying to suppress for a time... that wasn't a real smart move, as it gets harder and harder to remain ignorant to my situation..." He murmured.

"Then I wholeheartedly apologize," she bowed, a frown now on her face. "I didn't mean to cause trouble, it just... frustrates me to see people deny who they are."

"Deny who I am?" Damon asked. "I know what I am... a would-be terror of the night... Burning and killing... slaughtering my weakened foe and denying any sort of normality I would ever have."

Tiki shivered. "Perhaps now... but a few years ago? You'd be a paper tiger compared to Grima."

"Oh but I'm just getting started, I'd diminish the line between friend and foe, lover and enemy, and lash out equally... I'd break at the sudden loss of love..." Damon continued..

The Voice of Naga sighed and held her hand up. "Do you wish to see? See the terror we had to fight?"

Damon leaned down grabbing her by the arms lifting her up with ease to bring him to his terror brought eyes. "See? I lived it... " Tears started to form in to blood.

"Perhaps... but you aren't the only one," Tiki sighed, squirming from his grasp. "You've lost loved ones once. What of it? Do you know how it feels to watch everyone you've ever cared about die and be unable to stop it? How about twice? Thrice? And before you dare to question how, consider this. I'm thousands of years old. I've had to repeat that so many times that I forced myself into isolation just to avoid the pain! And then... and, and then..." Tears started to fall. "I had to watch the one person... the only person I could feasibly have a relationship with die..." She fell to her knees sobbing.

Some part of Damon snapped as he looked in to her eyes. An audible heartbeat before screaming of the damned could be heard in his head. "It was a slaughter... fire... death... one by one, two by two... blood pools and mangled limbs... You want my pain? You want to see what I lived through.."

"Do you wish to see mine?" Tiki countered.

"Did you have to kill your own kin? Your own warped children? Did you know I lived a life in another point of time? Where everything I bled, fought, and...sacrificed, was a lie?" He asked. "You can't even comprehend what I'm trying to say to you... can you?" Damon asked.

"Have you ever had to be at the death bed of everyone you've ever known and cared about, unable to help as time takes them while you're stuck in the same damn body?!"

"if by death you mean choking on their own blood? With a fatal wound? Aye... When your own son dies in your hands... a son ….. Max..." Damon immediately stopped, as he leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down. Tiki felt his anguish. It was similar to hers, but not quite. She scooted to him, drying both her and his tears. "I didn't even get to raise him... I got barely a few months with him... he was stolen from me, I failed him... my own flesh and blood... I was forced to watch him die..." Damon said with a hollowed voice.

"I... I can't say I definately know your pain... but I can relate... At least a little..." Tiki sighed.

"I was forced to watch his mother die shortly after... that does things to a man... I shouldn't have remembered that..." Damon said resting his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry... It's my fault for bringing up my own past, isn't it?" The manakete asked.

"…. Do you know what the really painful thing is?" Damon asked Tiki.

"I'm listening," she replied, her demanor finally returning to normal.

"I can't simply just tell any of those I fought with... loved... and know about this... because they'd think, I'd be crazy..." Damon made a slight chuckle.

"… I believe you," the Voice of Naga assured him. "I've seen many things in my life. Going back in time isn't too big a stretch."

"…. That's nice...but you weren't there... In fact I didn't know you existed... Today is full of surprises..." Damon dried his tears.

Tiki thought for a moment before having an idea. "Then how about I simply listen? Consult with you about these things when you need to as your friend?"

"…. If … I indulge you in this, I tell you beyond this, then know this... you'd walk into a conflict that you wouldn't think possible... I'm giving you a chance to back out right now." Damon said with a serious demeanor.

"I've been in multiple wars, seen friends and loved ones die, and seen all sorts of twists. At this point, not much can shake me," Tiki told him.

"This is a war of corruption... One of lies, deceit, chaos and misery... A war is coming, both Nohr and Hoshido will be made puppets to kill eac hother..." Damon warned her of the coming struggle.

"And I supposed that me and my friends being here didn't happen last time? And that there's one more you've yet to meet quite yet?"

"Yes, there's going to be more apparently... there is a shadow like foe... I don't know what they want... but they seem to be pulling the strings..." Damon was still confused about it all.

"Then we'll expose them, in due time. But trying to rush things will only make them worse. Trust me. I've seen it. The best thing you can do now is try to change small things that will impact bigger ones. Set up caches in Nohr, make plans and prepare however you can without actually influencing anything."

It sounds easier than it looks...

"Your plan sounds like it fell through because you spread too thin without much planning," Tiki pointed out.

"We were being rushed... Not enough timing... I loved so many... and lost them all..it was like having a chunk of your heart ripped out piece by piece...I uh...had a Harem of lovers... don't judge...it happened." Damon said with small laugh.

"Hmm... perhaps what you need then is a tactician then? Someone who thinks of strategy easily and can make it more efficient. As for the harem? Can't say I wholeheartedly approve, but it definitely isn't the worst thing you could do if they all consented to it."

"I do... Leo got in too late... trust me it was all my... Unawaken instincts in me...it felt right, the need for passion and love..."

"Then getting a better one earlier seems to be the key. Someone to help pick up the slack and fine tune plans while making them himself."

"Any suggestions?" Damon asked her.

"Heh... I'm wise, not all knowing. Years ago, I would have had just the man in mind. But... as you know, he's dead."

Damon looked at Tiki. "You're a priestess though..."

"I'm the Voice of Naga. A fancy name for a high priestess of a now dead religion."

"….I was Demon...the Dragon King of a Rogue nation..." Damon gave her his title.

"My point is, despite my powers and title, I'm nowhere near as powerful as Naga or Grima on my own. And neither of them could predict the future."

"What's set in stone is done...but here it's just added layers...that's the madness of things." He said with a sigh.

"Then... I swear to do my best to change fate with you," Tiki promised, helping him to his feet.

"You... are the oceans gray waves...gods that song..." Damon sighed knowing he'll soon be hearing that again.

"I suggest we break for now," Tiki advised. "Talking in a hall as long as we have been was a risk in itself."

"Aye but do you know what's painful too? Knowing that a lot of my loved ones are here... and I can't hold myself back from throwing hints at them... Knowing that they all love me... " Damon complained knowing the risks of doing something this risky.

"Then... perhaps I'll speed things along?" Tiki suggested. "Nudge things to help you? Just because I'm doomed to loneliness doesn't mean I can't aid those who are themselves."

"Why do you have to be doomed to it? Nothing is ever over, life will carry you with it and drop you to a person who you are destined to be with..." Damon argued.

"Only manaketes have longevity like I do... The Voice especially. I can't keep falling over and over again and expect to not be hurt every time. But this last one? I don't think I can honestly love anyone else after that..." Tiki sighed.

"Never say never... it'll come... believe me." Damon said with an encouraging look.

Tiki smiled back at him, for once feeling hope she could truly come to find someone who she could spend the rest of her life with in her heart. "… Thank you... you're a good friend, Damon."

"I know the heart, Tiki...I know the feeling you'll be there with the one you love." Damon said as he stood up and looked at his slightly opened door. "Just like I'll find my loved ones again..."He gave off the slightest smile.

The manakete, touched by his kindness, grabbed his hand and started to mutter a prayer. "I know you aren't a believer in Naga... and honestly, I don't have a much faith in her anymore after all of this myself... but I still pray that she will guide you on your... no, our path going into the future, my friend."

[A rank Support Achieved!]

"I'll see you again soon, my friend," Tiki smiled before leaving.

What did I just get myself in to?

Damon made his way to his room before opening the door and shutting it behind him. "Oh. Hello, my lord," Flora greeted him with a curtsey. "I was just about to finish cleaning your room."

Demon saw a flash of fire around Flora in a memory, followed by her cruel and unwarranted death. Damon shook that image out of his head. "Oh...uh, thanks...How...well you know." Damon was having trouble trying to form a sentence.

"It's no bother at all," she hummed before going back to dusting. "After all the kindness you've shown my sister and I, it's the least I can do."

Well that and it's your maidly duty...

Damon scratched the back of his scalp, hearing that from his maid. "Errmm... right...what were you going to torch my room? Kidding..." Damon joked.

"Haha... funny. But you know... I think Camilla has been giving me foul looks lately..." The blue haired maid sighed. "I have no idea what I did to upset her either, so I can't make up for it."

"Oh? Well what brought this on? Did you do something that might... get her upset like, do something that belongs to me...or perhaps did you do something to me?" Damon joked, seeing Camilla is very...clingy.

"Aha, aha ha," the maid sarcastically laughed. "I'd be drawn and quartered before I even had the chance and you know it. At least, if I did anything to you. You doing anything to me would just be swept under the rug."

"…. You're... Hey Flora, are you...perhaps thinking of something... you know keeping something a secret?" Damon asked his maid approaching her.

"What would I have to keep?" She asked, beginning to feel slightly nervous.

"The look you've been giving me... don't think I didn't notice it..." Damon said to the maid.

Flora sighed and turned to him. "… I won't bother trying to hide it then. Fine. I've been... crushing on you for a while now."

"….I know." Damon said to Flora, with a serious tone.

"So... where do we go from here?" The maid asked.

"I'd warrant the feelings too, but...there is a problem, Felicia has that same look, and now I'm extremely troubled..." Damon sighed, seeing as she gave him those similar looks...followed by tripping over her own feet.

"Whaaaat?" Felicia fell out of the closet, causing Flora to have an irritated look on her face, seeing her sister was spying on her and Damon. "Felicia!" Flora snapped at her sister.

Before the antics could continue, there was a knock on the door. "Excuse me? Is this Prince Damon's room?" A woman's voice asked on the other side.

"Well you are in his Fortress..." Damon joked, as he opened the door. An actually red-haired woman with matching eyes met his gaze, a waifish figure in Wyvern Rider's armor. Her hair hung down to her mid back as well, covering most of the exposed part if he cared to look.

"Are you related to Selena by chance?" Damon asked the woman seeing her in full form.

"Haha! Funny. My name is Cherche, I'll be tending to the wyverns and making sure they're ready for battle," the woman bowed. "But I must say, you have some cuties here in Nohr!

"Cuties?...I'm sure my maids would be thankful of that comment?" Damon asked with an inquisitive look.

"Huh? No no, I meant the wyverns," the new woman clarified. "So many of them look simply adorable!"

"Adorable? But they're... Wyverns...killer beasts and all." Damon tried to think of a wyvern that fit her description.

Flora saw the claw marks on Damon's back as his padded clothes were torn and something ticked in her. "Damon, shirt off. Now," she ordered, getting a needle and thread out.

"Huh? But we have a guest..." Damon advised against it.

"I think she's referring to Panne's claw marks on your shirt and not... whatever it was you were thinking of," Cherche pointed out.

Damon shrugged as he disrobed his top half revealing his sculpted form and muscles.

"Huh. Impressive," Cherche nodded. "I didn't think I'd be meeting a pair of unique maids so early though."

"How so?" Damon asked Cherche.

"The air around them is colder. Can't you feel it too? Not to mention their hair. I wonder if they cook if they'd end up not doing much..." The woman muttered to herself. "Actually, can either of you cook? I'd be happy to teach you if you don't."

"Flora can, Felicia...killed a plant..." Damon said seeing he had a cactus.

Cherche looked at Felicia with intense eyes. "Well then, as a former fellow servant myself, I take it upon myself to rehabilitate your skills so you may serve your lord better!" The wyvern rider declared.

Did I just get another maid?

"Oh, and simply must introduce you all to Minerva some time! She's simply one of the most gorgeous creatures I've ever seen, not to mention my closest friend," the red head rambled. "I can take you to the pens now if you want, Damon, girls?"

A memory of a certain wyvern head butting him, brought him to rub his neck. "Ah... Wyverns don't like me for some reason... except for Camilla's..." Damon was very cautious seeing how he was a dragon.

Cherche's eyes lit up. "Princess Camilla has a wyvern too?!"

Oh no..

"Come on, you must introduce me to her! Please?" The odd woman begged the still young prince.

"I'd love to... when she gets back..." Damon said with a slight hesitant chuckle.

Cherche sighed in defeat before perking up. "Well... I still must introduce you all to Minerva. I insist!" She grabbed Felicia and Damon and started pulling them to the pens, Flora following to ensure they didn't get hurt.

"Wait I don't have a shirt on! I ain't walking in to a wyvern pen without a shirt!" Damon protested.

"Relax, I'll wrestle them down if they decide to get a little frisky," the woman assured him. "It's been a while since I had a proper work out anyway."

Wrestle?! Yeah right more like you'll draw a picture and watch them try to molest/eat me!

*Moments later...*

"Easy!" Cherche shouted, pinning a rather aggressive wyvern to the ground by its neck. "That's enough playing with the nice man! Now calm down!"

Damon was sitting on a pile of knocked out Wyverns, covered in bite marks on his body. "You are...completely...insane..." Damon huffed out. "Flora...Felicia?" Damon asked hopping off the twitching pile.

"… Is it bad I respect her?" Felicia asked them both.

"….. No comment..." Damon begrudgingly huffed out. "I want...a nice...bath..." Damon exhaustingly said to them. The two nodded and immediately ran to the baths to ready the water.

"Hey," Gaius waved to them as the trio passed. "That last one she was fighting, the big mean one? That's Minerva. And she brings that thing inside to cuddle from time to time."

Damon immediately stopped seeing the absolute insanity in his home. A literal yandere dark mage, a dragonshifting elf, a rabbit girl, a sugar obsessed thief and a brooding Hoshidan.

You got to be fucking with me...

And thus, began the next few months of Damon's already hectic life.

---

*A few months later, on Damon's birthday*

Damon was sound asleep, resting under the covers of his bed. Felicia leaned over Damon's sleeping form as she smiled. "It's time to get up my lord..." She said gently shaking him, while Flora stood by her Sister fixing Damon's picture of water. Damon's eyes cracked open seeing, Felicia, Flora, Leo, Elise, Xander, and Camilla. "Why are you guys waking me up when the sun's not out..." Damon complained as he pulled the covers back over his body.

Wait...oh no! No! Not the freezing kiss!

Flora and Felicia, looked at each other going on both sides of his bed, they leaned over giving his face an icy kiss, which brought him sitting up quickly. "Well, that's what you get for trying to sleep in, big brother," Elise giggled.

"I'M UP!" Damon snapped as he shook from being awaken like that.

"Good morning, my darling Damon," Camilla cooed.

"It's about time," Leo jabbed jokingly.

"What's going on? You guys are in my room in the crack of dawn...?" Damon looked out seeing the light wasn't shining through his room.

"We're taking you to the capital for the day," Xander explained with a smile. "We're spending the whole day with each other. As a family."

"...Do I get my birthday presents now?" Damon asked.

"Actually, a few surprise gifts are waiting outside your room," Elise smiled.

….wait... That played out differently... they presented it to me and screamed happy birthday... what fresh Hell is this?!

Damon's eyes narrowed down on them all as he moved his sheets, and got up from the mattress. "Okay... something is... wrong here..." Damon looked at each of them.

"Just open the damn door, brother," Leo chuckled.

Damon walked over to his bedroom door and slowly and cautiously opened the door. "SURPRISE!"

Damon's eyes widened and went blood shot like an ambush hit him. *THUD* He felt himself being revived by a barrage of healing spells, courtesy of Tiki, the twins and Elise. "I think we went overboard..." Gaius chuckled.

Damon shot up from the floor. "….grr..." He suppressed a growl.

"Okay, but in all seriousness, happy birthday Red," the thief chuckled, tossing the prince a bag. "Some of my personal stash for the lucky guy."

"What child did you steal this from?" Damon asked seeing the goodies.

Gaius almost looked offended. "I'll have you know I made those myself!"

"Did you steal these from my little sister?" Damon asked Gaius.

"Actually, they're called a Gaius Confect," Elise told him. "I helped make them."

"Right... and then you're going to tell me you and Camilla made me a Cape?" Damon asked.

"… Tiki... I told you not to tell him..." Camilla smiled sweetly at the manakete, promising pain.

"I... didn't..." Tiki said quietly.

"And let me guess...a tabard by you Camilla?" Damon asked his 'sister'.

"Nope," she smirked, handing him a box. "It's a scarf."

"It's a Tabard..." Damon said opening it.

The younger princess pouted. "You were supposed to be surprised..."

"We actually have gifts too," Lon'qu told him, holding a long box in his arms.

"Wait... I have to predict my brothers gifts now..." Damon turned to Leo and Xander. "Well...let me guess... you got me a helmet Xander?" Damon asked, then turned to Leo. "And you got me chainmail for my armor?" He added.

"… We're sure he isn't psychic, right?" Xander joked.

"I don't know maybe Leo's spell book had more of a hidden message in it..." Damon gave them a look.

"Quiet you," Leo mock shook his fist at the prince.

"Now gimmie gimme, so I can get changed..." Damon ordered grabbing both the tabbard, and cape from Camilla and Elise.

"Um... we actually have things for you too," Tiki offered, holding a smaller, wider box than Lon'qu.

"Right..." Damon put the stuff down from his family and approached Tiki.. "I'm not going to find a shrunken head in this am I?" He asked cautiously.

"No. I didn't bring Tharja's gift." She gave him a lighthearted, joking smile.

"Ha...ha..." Damon said sarcastically, opening the box. In it were a pair of light blue, scaled gauntlets.

"Those are manakete scales," the Voice of Naga told him. "Unbreakable."

"Can the color scheme turn to match my armor?" Damon asked seeing his steel plated armor on the rack. "Great gift and all... I just don't want to look like an ass..." Damon warned of a word of caution.

"That's actually my gift," Lilith smiled, readying her magic. Damon quivered hearing Lilith, remembering the... quality time.

Huhgauhhagrhuagh...Gods... The hours...

A qucik spell changed the color scheme to match the armor. "All done," the yellow eyed girl smiled.

"Thank You..." Damon gave off a sigh of relief. "Next gift please?" Damon smiled.

"Here you go!" Cherche smiled, handing him a package with a dragon crest on the paper.

"…..." Damon just looked at the package with caution before opening the box quickly. Inside was actually something not totally insane. It was a pauldron, looking to be the same metal as his armor but reinforced with wyvern scales, black ones making up the Nohrian crest in stark contrast to the shades of dark green that made up the rest of it.

"It may not be manakete, but wyvern scales are still very tough," Cherche told him. "And without the actual dragon there, there's no threat of Wyrmbane damaging them as much."

"Lilith...color scheme please." Damon called his...future... 'mate'.

"On it!" The maid nodded and got to work changing the scale colors so they matched the armor without compromising the crest.

"Here you are," Lon'qu stated, handing the box in his hands to Damon. Despite the edge looking thin from how he held it, it was actually a really wide, very heavy box.

"Is there a plaque in this?" Damon asked Lon'qu.

"Any plaque that long would only inflate your ego. I think what's inside much better for you," the swordsman stated.

"'Best, Lord of the keep and drinker, fighter, trainer, and cool guy of the fortress?' Is that long enough to be on a supposed plaque I'm thinking of?" Damon asked.

Lon'qu sighed and rolled his eyes. "Do you want the damn present or not? Just open it already."

"Easy... I'm opening it." Damon sighed pulling off the lid. Inside was what looked like a sword but was more of a giant slab of raw steel.

"Steel?" Damon asked moving his hands on the bar.

"Not as debilitating as silver with more power than iron," Lon'qu explained.

"Well I know what steel is, my plating is made out of it..." Damon reminded him, pointing to the plate mail on the rack.

Lon'qu gave him a blank look. "Yes. But that can't cut through people without it breaking, can it?"

"…..." Damon just cocked his head to the right looking at him.

You want to bet?

"It isn't steel, kiddo," Gaius told the prince. "It's something rarer. You know the stuff in Levin Swords? It's that."

"Great I'll make sure to forge it, as soon as I can." Damon plopped the box on his bed.

"Um... kid? That is the sword," Gaius chuckled.

"…. I know what I said..." Damon huffed out.

"I recalled you saying one handed swords weren't your favorite. So I had a two handed sword forged that your strength could handle," Lon'qu explained.

"You see I would wield that... but... " Damon showed him Xander's sword. "Haven't switched a blade yet... big brother gifted me this sword and I just added the metal that grew it." Damon said with pride.

"Um... just a thought, but you could reforge my sword into it," Xander suggested. "Or you could keep mine and switch when needed."

"Are we all playing lets correct Damon on his birthday? I'm getting offended here, I have a right to be arrogant and ignorant on the day of my fucking birth!" Damon growled.

Xander laughed and rubbed the stubble on the prince's head. "I know. But it's simply my job as big brother to give as good advice I can."

Damon clapped his hands together rubbing them. "Right... anyways! Who is next, because I'd like to get fitted in to my armor." Damon said with eagerness.

Lucina tossed him a smaller box. "Here. Happy birthday, sir."

"Wow Sir? Damn, the least you could call me by my name..." Damon chuckled as he opened up the box. It actually surprised him what was in there. It was a hand drawn portrait of him and his siblings, framed in oak and gold. His father was even behind them all, uncharacteristically smiling along with them.

"…..." A small smile cracked on his face, as he hung it above his bed. "Thank you... I really like that." He nodded to Lucina.

"Well... I can show a soft spot on my Lord's birthday, at the very least," she smiled back before leaving back to her duties.

Oh ouch..

"Well anyone else want to comment on me or disparage me? Before I change in to my armor and test your words of merit?" Damon said with a chuckle.

"Your arrogant?" Xander asked.

"Egotistical?" Elise chirped.

"Greedy?" Camilla grinned.

"Self-absorbed?" Leo finished. All of them had joking looks on their faces.

…..okay that's it... now to surprise you all...

"Hehehehe... you see... I was going to let Felicia fit my armor... but now?" Damon snapped his fingers letting the armor fly at him. "…."

*CRACK...CRACK*

Damon cracked his knuckles. "You should've stopped at Arrogant... Two second head start..." Demon said with a fiery passion.

Xander laughed and hoisted Elise over his shoulder before booking it, along with Camilla and Leo, all four of them laughing as their brother chased them. "Damn... you ever wish you had family like that?" Gaius asked Tiki and Lon'qu.

"Not really..." The samurai replied.

"All the time," Tiki responded.

"I'll show you egotistical!" Demon snapped as the officers could hear thrashing around, and broken objects.

"Damon! Don't break your house!" Elise chided with a giggle.

"I'll break whatever I Damn well please!" Another set of crashing and broken objects could be heard as they descended down to the next level of the fortress.

"No, you don't understand!" Xander shouted back with a serious tone.

"Oh now I'm ignorant huh?!" A loud thrash could be heard.

"Father's-"

"Right here," Garon stated, all five stopping in their tracks.

Demon moved his hands on all four of them lifting them up, ignorant to Garon. "Who's laughing now?!" Demon said to them.

"Ha... Ha... ha..." Garon deadpanned, making his blood turn to ice.

Demon huffed out as he dropped the four. "Father... I welcome you to the Northern Fortress..." Demon said with a monotone voice.

"Yes... I see you've kept it in good condition," the king replied sarcastically as a bit of the stone wall fell where Demon ran into it.

"No... I destroyed it in punishment of the hubris of my siblings..." Demon said knowing it was sarcastic.

"Hmph... I expect repaired to start tomorrow... now come. The carriage awaits us." The king turned and his children followed him out and over the bridge.

"Tonight, as my...canny officers will get it done..." Demon turned his head towards the group.

"Hey, I can't promise anything," Gaius grinned mischievously. Demon shot him a glare before joining his siblings, the coach driving snapping the reigns to get the horses moving.

Demon saw the fortress get smaller and smaller as they continued off on the Nohrian roads. "I assume me going to the capital is for... a demonstration?" Demon asked Garon.

"As well as your party. Both birthday and going away," the king nodded.

"Who am I going to kill?" Demon asked, causing the Nohrian siblings to look at him.

The king took out a couple drawings and handed them to him. A dark skinned woman with muscles most men would kill for and a white skinned ninja. "These two prisoners of war. We caught them trying to sneak over the border."

Demon saw Kaze, and smiled inwardly. "Wait... I know that man..." Demon said as he got a closer look.

"Oh? From where?" Garon inquired.

"Scouting party I think...? He looks like a Scout." Demon suggested. "Is that where you picked these two up?" He asked Garon.

The old king nodded. "Yes."

"What was Hoshidan scum doing scouting our borders?" Demon asked seeing he knew what to do.

"Likely looking for guard patrols and infiltration spots," Xander filled his brother in.

"They'd really want to risk a war?" He asked, seeing that there was going to be one regardless.

Leo sighed. "If I can be honest? I think both sides are growing restless. We've been on a tense situation for almost twenty years now. It was only a matter of time before one of us tried it."

I need to avoid a Hoshidan Civil War...

"Father, will you be sending us out soon to track the scouts movements?" Demon asked, seeing as back then in the last life he did send them.

"We actually learned they're sending forces in tomorrow," the king replied.

"Could it be a forging party?" Demon asked seeing as forces forage the surrounding area.

"From what the woman and the ninja said? Not likely," Camilla replied.

"Are we going to take words of a Hoshdian now?" Demon chuckled shaking from the bump in the road.

Garon gave him a cold look. "Considering there may be a threat on our doorstep. Yes. Better to be safe than sorry."

"Come now Father, what could possibly stand up against the might and strength of King Garon and the Kingdom of Nohr?" Demon asked through his helmet.

"… A ghost of our past..." The king replied with something close to venom in his voice. It was clear something about this siege was bothering him more than the last time line. "They have a captain who is reported to be a genius tactician. You are to bring him to me alive and as unharmed as possible."

"…...As you wish..." Demon nodded, while touching the pommel of his blade.

The rest of the trip was spent chatting with his siblings and father about more petty things like weather and current affairs in Nohr outside of the Rebellion. Before Demon knew it, he was in the throne room before his father, kneeling before the king on his throne. "Today marks your twenty second birthday, my son..." Garon began, looking at Demon. "You are now ready for a proper trial and test of your skills before I send you against our mortal enemies."

Now give me that wretched sword...'Father'

"I grant you Ganglari. maythis blade serve you well in battle against the Hoshidans, as a symbol of your power and rank," Garon intoned, summoning the blade and handing it to his son.

Demon grabbed the blade. "Father this is Ganglari...your prized possession..." Demon said to Garon.

"Yes. So you can imagine the hopes I have for you..." Garon gave his son a rare smile and patted his head. "You are a prince of Nohr, and one of the strongest men I have ever seen. This blade befits your roll as our beacon of hope in this dismal land."

"Show me the scouting party you have captured..." Demon said as he rose to turn to see the open space, as the prisoners were being forced in to the room, light infantry and two officers.

"Give them their weapons..." Demon ordered the soldiers who had them at spear point. The men nodded and tossed a few boxes, clubs and other weapons to the warriors.

"Damn it..." The woman growled as she picked up a few clubs. "To think it might come to this..."

Demon moved down the steps as he swung his blade ready to fight. "Prepare to die..." Demon said as he charged at the group. The woman growled and swung her club, catching him off guard by going for his legs, knocking him off his feet. She raised it high before slamming it down.

"Aren't you a feisty warrior?" Demon asked as he rolled out of her way swinging his blade around him creating a wave of air to push his opponents back.

"I'm an Oni? What'd you expect?" The woman growled, her red and white hair being blown by the pressure.

"Oh an Oni huh? Where is your fire?" Demon asked, in a mocking way.

"Kaze!" The Oni shouted as she lunged at him. The prince side stepped the club, only to take a dagger to his side as the ninja sped past him.

"...it's going to take a lot more than little kitchen knives to take me down..." Demon laughed, as he struck the ground with the blade causing it to shake. He suddenly felt sick, as if something had crept in his skin and started to burn.

Poison... great.

Rinkah prepared her fire attack as Demon's eyes snapped towards the flames in her hands. With a mighty upward swing, she hit his helmet with a loud clunk, sending it flying up into the air.

A fiery explosion engulfed the figure causing smoke to rise, she'd hoped that it would've blown him up...but as the smoke cleared, she saw the fire didn't even affect him. Kaze almost couldn't believe his eyes. "My... my lord?" He asked, hesitating to attack.

"Fire resistant..." Demon smiled at Rinkah, before head butting her. Kaze intercepted the next attack, blocking it and giving the woman time to recover.

"My lord... I don't wish to fight you, but I will if it means protecting both her and myself," the ninja growled, struggling against the prince's strength.

"Who the fuck are you talking to?" Demon lied as he brought the pommel on his head, throwing him back. Kaze threw a volley of shuriken, while only scratching Demon, the poison wreaked havoc on his body. Demon kicked the Ninja in the gut while throwing the two on the ground as he had to get them out of here. "Some protector you turned out to be..." Demon said as he gave him a wink, before engulfing the blade with a red aura.

Kaze got the message and got to a knee. "My lord... I am Kaze! I serve under your family!"

"What?... Father, this idiot says he serves under you?" Demon asked Garon.

"Humph... the man must have had some brain cells knocked loose from your attack," the king huffed.

"Can I kill him now?" Demon asked shocking Garon. The king gave him a smile and nodded. That was all the prince needed to attack. "Well time to get out of here..." Demon said, with a smile. "Don't worry, it'll be over quickly..." He said as his red aura engulfed even brighter around the blade, bringing it down on the ground letting loose a sonic red explosion, making a crater. "...I blew up your floor..." Demon said to Garon.

"It matters not. You managed to match and exceed my expectations," the old king smiled. "You are more than ready for the war ahead of us, my son. Now..." Garon stood and clasped Demon's shoulder. "We celebrate!"

"I believe you'd want this back father..." Demon presented the blade back to Garon.

The king shook his head and pushed it back into his son's hands. "No... you have more than earned the right to wield it as your weapon in this war."

The second I cross the fucking border I'm burying you in some sort of grave... This thing is not going to explode on my watch.

"If you don't mind father, I'd like to walk the gardens alone for a little bit and clear my head," Demon requested.

"Hm... very well. You shall have them to yourself until the feast," Garon stated, sending a guard to ensure the order was carried out.

Demon nodded as he made his way out with the accursed sword on his right hip. As Demon made his way outside of the palace grounds towards a shaded forested area, he came across two figures in a red aura, frozen in time. Demon snapped his fingers causing the aura to dissipate, leaving the two to collapse on the ground. "I must admit my lord, that was very clever," Kaze smiled, brushing the dust off.

"Yes...Yes it was...now I need you to leave... like immediately, as if the guard catches you with in the border than I'm done for... return to Hoshido." Demon ordered his original retainer and protector.

"Like hell we are!" Rinkah refused. "The whole reason we came here was to get you out of Nohr and back to Hoshido!"

"Wait what?" Demon asked.

"Our whole reason for coming here was to bring you home, my lord," Kaze bowed. "The plan was to sneak in and find where they were holding you captive but we were caught."

"Captive? I ain't no captive here..." Demon said rubbing his own scalp. "Do I look like a prisoner forced to live in a cell?" He asked.

"Perhaps what he actually said works best then... 'trapped in a gilded cage,'" Kaze reiterated.

"Being hailed a Prince of Nohr, has its perks..." Demon added.

"Yeah, so does being a noble's pet," Rinkah pointed out.

"I'm not a nobles pet..." Demon said with a low tone.

"It's a figure of speak," the oni woman shrugged.

Demon inhaled and calmed down before moving to the next question. "How is it you both knew I was even alive? Hell, who came up with this plan?!"

"Your younger brother came up with the reasoning, but it was Prince Takumi who prematurely organized it," Kaze informed his lord.

Takumi... Takumi?! That little pine apple fuck! Wait... a different younger brother?

"Who... figured this out again?" Demon questioned.

"Your younger brother, Prince Shad," Rinkah replied, spotting a good place to escape. "His logic was that there was no ransom for your return and your head wasn't sent back as a declaration of war, so they had to have been keeping you alive and using or training you for something."

"…..The lost prince... I appreciate the attempt, but you two are in no shape and form to make any sort of escort... you need to leave, and tell them I'm alive and well." Demon told them, seeing he couldn't just leave his family in Nohr at the moment.

"Very well... I hope the next time we meet isn't on the battlefield, my lord," Kaze stated, bidding Demon goodbye.

"Don't count on it..." He chuckled, before turning his back on them, heading for the feast.

Well... I think I figured out why Father is so keen on this captain being brought back alive.

Demon returned to the feast, sitting amongst his family and friends, while Camilla brought out an Angel food cake, before kissing Demon on the right cheek. "Make a wish, my prince," she whispered as his siblings and friends sang.

I wish for a happy ending...

Demon blew out the candles on his cake, hoping even a birthday wish would help.

---

*The next day, during the battle at the Bottomless Chasm*

Demon swung his brother's sword, ending the life of yet another Hoshidan. He slightly regretted the act, since he was technically going to be living with them pretty soon. Armored footsteps could be heard behind Xander as Demon quickly moved Xander out of the way from Scarlet's attack. Demon smiled behind his helmet seeing one of the women he was madly in love with.

Come on...run...

That moment ended when he felt something drive though his armor and dig deep into his flesh. "Scarlet, go! This one's armor is too tough..." A man's voice said from a fair way away from the prince.

Demon pulled out the shuriken with annoyance as he got in attack stance.

...I don't know this man... is he from that other realm like Selena?

Demon kicked the warrior back as he gave chase to Scarlet.

Just have to play this out like last time!

Demon was making a mad dash across the chasm, tackling Scarlet to the ground. Though the warrior that hit him with a shuriken cut the bridge causing the bridge to fall to the Norhian side. In an outrageous feat of agility and strength, he used one of the former posts as a footstool to clear the gap, pulling out a small blade as he landed. "There's no escaping me." Scarlet kicked Demon off her, as he got to his feet. Before the prince could give chase, the ninja intercepted and forced him back with a wide swipe. "You're not going any further either."

"I agree..." Demon said as he grabbed the accursed sword and flung it behind him in the chasm before drawing his blade. "Better this way..." Demon smiled through his helmet. The ninja didn't hesitate, taking the time the prince was talking to close the gap and strike, his weapon tearing through the armor with ease. Demon shook feeling the blades cut through the plate mail and slice in to the chain mail. Demon kicked him back seeing he was striking to kill.

Mother absolute fucker!

This ninja was not deterred by the blow, using the distance to throw a few needles and disappear in the distraction. "First rule of a fight... don't talk in front of the enemy. Only the weak and arrogant do so, and I ensure they suffer for it."

Sorry my arrogance is one of my successful traits...

Demon slammed the ground causing a wave of smoke and fire to engulf around him, before seeing his target through his third sensory vison his eyes provided him. Noticing he'd been spotted, the ninja moved away with blinding speed, moving from cover to cover before striking, landing a solid hit before running away again. "Your good... but slow. One hit from you would be hell..." The ninja threw a needle before attacking Demon's back.

Hypocrite...

Demon let loose another wave of fire surrounding him in an inferno blaze. While the clothing was singed, the ninja was relatively unharmed. He stayed silent in Demon's gaze before disappearing. "Fire... yeah... not a good idea to use on me."

Only one of my perks... Hinoka where the fuck are you?

The ninja struck again, letting loose a flurry of blows that the prince struggled to block. There was no opening to counter, no way to get out of it without taking a hit first, and Demon could already tell he was taking heavy damage. Whoever this ninja was, he was good. Smart. Capitalized on his opponent's weakened state to go for broke. Had it been any other man, that would have been it. However... this was Demon. Demon brought his foot down causing a tremor to throw the ninja up, as Demon brought his steel helmet on his head, throwing him back in to the tree line. "Okay... ow... didn't think you were literally able to make the ground shake..." The ninja groaned as he got back up.

"Hypocrite..." He only said while fixing his position.

"Hey..." The ninja smirked beneath his mask. "I never said I wasn't cocky." He tossed something on the ground, but Demon couldn't tell what they were.

"As much as I like to fight, I can't tarry here much longer, I was expecting...someone else." Demon said disapointed.

"That right? So... you wouldn't care then if I went back to help my girlfriend?" The ninja asked.

"Huh?" Demon asked.

"The blonde? On the wyvern?"

Demon stopped, as he dropped his blade, shaken from that response. "What?" Demon asked.

"Are you deaf as well as slow?" The ninja taunted.

Why you little shi...no wait...calm down Demon, Aynes is still in effect, this man is clearly goading me to a fight, and he's planning to strike to kill. Where the fuck is Ryoma and the rest of them?

A cloth suddenly was on his helmet, and he felt a splitting pain in his side, then his thigh before the footsteps disappeared.

Now...Now I'm angry...

Demon pounded the ground as he grabbed his blade ripping off the cloth. "Get a tree cut down now!" Xander ordered while Nohrian crossbow men began to fire across the chasm at the location of the ninja. He effortlessly dodged the fire, keeping his face down with his masking cloth now gone.

If this is just an assassin, I have no business here... Kaze must've said I flipped. That idiot.

Demon saw the ninja fly at him with insane speed, but his instinctive mind quickly and expertly dodged, and grabbed the Ninja's foot, yanking him down and making a clear upper cut punch under his jaw, sending him flying across the chasm in to a row of Nohrian archers. But doing so had done something unintentionally bad for him. He saw the ninja's face. A medium head of black, fluffy hair on his head, deep green eyes, and a scar just under his left tear duct.

Him...Shad... the prince that was kidnapped in Nohr...

There was a sudden splitting ache in Demon's head and he fell to the ground, clutching his skull.

"Damon, watch out!" Elise cried, as arrows rained behind him, luckily his armor plating held up firm before a battle cry of Hoshidan spearmen charged in. Demon quickly moved to his feet and gripped his blade sending them back with one swift blow. Ryoma clashed his blade down cutting his helmet and damaging it, while Hinoka enraged moved in past Ryoma. "NOHRIAN SCUUUUUMMMMMMM!" Hinoka screamed out aiming her naginata down aiming for Demon's chest. Just as he was about to guard, a memory came to the surface, finally clear.

*Garon was carrying Damon on the back of his horse, Gunter carrying a small bundle in his arms. Without warning, there was a loud blast, and the horses were spooked, Gunter unintentionally throwing the bundle in the air. A ninja leapt out from the tree line and caught it before making a break for the forest again, toward the Hoshidan capital. "NOOOOOOOO!" Garon howled in anger, a glassy look in his eye as tears started to form. "SHAAAAD!"*

Just as his mind was his again, Hinoka's naginata was a hair's breadth away from striking. There was no blocking or dodging this.

Oh this is going to hurt...

Demon was forced back as the blade went halfway in to his chest, causing him to cough up blood, falling to his knees. Demon's damaged helmet split in half falling to two pieces, he hesitantly raised his head up to meet Hinoka's gaze. The red head's look of fury turned into unfettered horror and regret in record time. "Oh gods... oh gods no..." She gasped.

Demon's right gauntlet moved to her cheek, taking a moment to see that she was alive, before throwing her to the side and ripping the blade out of his chest with his free arm. "IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?!" Demon snapped as a volley of arrows hit him, before Ryoma immediately ordered the volley to cease, seeing Demon without his helmet.

"Damon!" Camilla screamed, ready to fly over on her wyvern before seeing just who landed in their army. "Hold your fire!" She shouted at the archers before they could shoot Damon, restraining herself landing the killing blow herself.

Cue pineapple fuck...

Demon got to his feet as he knew what was to follow. His last cognitive moments allowed Shad to see just who he was fighting, and guilt riddled his heart, with the last of his strength, he hurled a shuriken at Fujin Yumi, sending the arrow intended for Demon off course, missing entirely. That was the straw that broke Demon's mind as he stumbled and fell again, this time into the Bottomless pit.

…

---

A familiar throb in his chest caused Demon to wake, Hinoka was in a sobbing fit, seeing as how she almost killed him. "Hinoka, I keep telling you, it isn't your fault," Ryoma assured her. "Even Shad didn't realize it was Damon before it was too late. I think he actually did more damage than you did..."

Demon covertly kept his eyes closed, just listening in.

I don't know a naginata in my chest kind of did that for him... Well I don't see Takumi here so Ryoma I got to kick you, to put up an act...

Demon's right foot quickly reeled back and struck Ryoma in the chest causing him to fly through the paper door. "Graaagh!... he's either wake... or in a nightmare..." The High Prince guessed.

Demon quickly rolled on his stomach, as he crawled towards his equipment grabbing his blade and standing up, while feeling the blood drip from his chest. "Damon, stop!" Hinoka shouted, forcing the blade from his hands. "Your wounds are still open, and the poison isn't fully out of your system yet! You need to lay back down..."

"Prolonging my execution huh?" Demon coughed out weakly.

"Damon... don't you remember? It's me! Hinoka... Your big sister," the red head tried to remind him.

"I remember...getting stabbed by your Naginata..." He wheezed.

Play it dumb for a little longer...

Hinoka almost broke into a fresh fit before calming herself down. "Damon... your scared and hurt. I get that. But please, we can't explain anything until your healed up. Please... just lie down."

"No, no I get it let me guess... I'm actually your long-lost brother, kidnapped by the vile evil Nohrians?" Demon asked coughing out.

Hinoka stared awkwardly for a moment before giving him a nervous grin. "Uh... pretty much?"

"Nah, not buying it... there is no way we're blood related... don't look a thing like you... Save for the eyes of course..." Demon trolled.

"You have my brown hair as well," Ryoma grunted as he picked himself up. "Not to mention mother's eye shape... and last I checked, none of the Nohrian nobility has red eyes or brown hair either."

"I'll have you know my... mother was a...huh you got me there..." Demon scratched the back of his scalp.

"Your other brother already drew the resemblances... made it air tight just to help with getting you to see the truth," Ryoma chuckled.

"Well I hate to break away your lie... But, I know who my mother was... " Demon grunted as he straightened his form.

"Let me guess? A consort? A whore? A bar maid?" Ryoma guessed.

"No Queen Mikoto..." Demon said spitting out blood.

"So... the current queen of Hoshido? How is what I said a lie then?" Ryoma challenged him.

"Well...she was a rather staunch noble from another land, aaannd brought me to Hoshido when I was an infant..." Demon said limping over to Hinoka.

"… So you aren't entirely blood related to us... but you're still our brother."

"Oh no you knew, so don't try to fuck with me... Sumeragi made sure to tell you... and I'm sure Hinoka found out a letter that told all about my true heritage..." Demon grunted out.

"To a T... You seem to know a lot considering you've been in Nohr your whole life," Hinoka noted.

"Fucking loved it, treated me like family, and kept me mostly ignorant to my true heritage..." He said sitting down against the wall. "But Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise all wanted me to be...happy... and for a time I was..."

"Well, we do to," Hinoka smiled. "And so does Shad, when we get him back."

"Shad's home... he ain't going anywhere..." Demon grunted out in pain grabbing his canteen, drinking the wine in the casing.

Hinoka gave him a stern look. "Shad is just as much a brother to me as you are now. And I'll be damned if I let the Hoshidans take him from us."

I know your true feelings Noka...

Demon chuckled feeling the wine hit his soft spot. "I'll entertain that thought for now..." He hummed while he was still very much in pain, but it was tolerable. Demon put the cap on the canteen and put it back in the pile of his equipment. "So...where is mother?" Demon asked both Ryoma and Hinoka on the where abouts of his mother.

Ryoma thought for a moment. "Explaining the situation to Sakura and Takumi in the throne room."

"Alright...and maybe you want to get a better healer... because using thread and needle was just barbaric... or were you searching for something placed inside me?" Demon joked resting his head against the wall.

"Staves only do so much," Hinoka explained. "Stitching the larger wounds together helps the process and reducing scarring."

"mmmmm...well that answered that question...did you miss my heart?" Demon asked Hinoka as he shifted in his spot.

"Yes..." She muttered in guilt and embarrassment.

"Well good... otherwise I'd have someone with their hands in my chest stitching my heart back together..." He joked, while grabbing his sword to help him stand up on his feet.

"Please... lay back down..." Hinoka requested, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You need to recover... there's too much going on with you to move around too much."

"That's right 'Shad' was attempting to kill me..." Demon popped his neck, while his body was reacting to the venomous attack of the blade.

"He... really wanted to get you back," Ryoma sighed and rubbed his own neck. "That attack was actually a distraction for his spies to get into Nohr and look for you while taking down some of the heavier hitters, maybe even one of the nobles if we were lucky. With most attention on our attack, it'd be much easier to infiltrate."

Odd I thought mother would've been here sooner, after all I was gone for my known life back then. Flora... don't worry...

"Did you guys at least give me anti-venom?" Demon asked the two.

"Yes... but Shad makes his own brews," Hinoka sighed in exasperation.

"Sooo... you thought you were bringing up a corpse rather a wounded body?" Demon asked them.

Ryoma grimaced. "The thought was definitely there... It took all of Sakura's power to keep you alive on the way here."

Demon just stared at them with the thousand-yard stare. "Wow...the incompetence in Hoshido... I've been hit with a venomous attack, stabbed...rained with arrows...and fell to a ledge in the pit of the abyss... I have had a sucky day..." Demon winced as he tried to drink from his canteen again, but it was empty. Demon threw the canteen, enraged from running out of the only thing numbing the pain of the infected areas.

"Hey! The fact you didn't die on the battle field is a miracle in itself," Hinoka denied him, defending her home's honor. "Seriously. That stuff debilitates onis for days on end."

Demon laughed hearing that, seeing that he was not a fan of wyverns. "The fact that I didn't cut off my face from this?" Demon pointed his cross scar on his face. "Was a miracle... is that how you treat enemy nobles? Hit them with venom? Stab...you know what I'm trying to say..." He groaned, seeing he didn't want to restate what he went through.

The High Prince sighed and rubbed his temples, knowing this would come up. "Honestly? Hinoka was enraged about what you did to Shad but... that man in question is... well... more of a black sheep."

"Excuse me? What I did to Shad? HA!" Demon, laughed shifting in his armor, as he stood up blood dripping from his sides.

Hinoka gave him a flat look. "You uppercut him into a line of archers. That usually kills people."

"I defended myself... I fought true... I protected my lively hood..." Demon defended himself from the firing line. "I sent Kaze back to warn you string triggered bunch, that I'd find my way back to you guys... Shad wasn't in the plan though... I was hoping to run in to you first after I gave chase to Scarlet..." Demon sighed as he shook off his nerves feeling the rush of adrenaline course through his veins.

"Kaze returned not long after we left... we didn't have time to adjust the plan," Hinoka explained.

Was it too much to ask for him to make it back faster to intercept Ryoma?

Demon took a moment to gather himself. "Well... because of that spectacle, Xander and all my enraged siblings of Nohr is going to return that, with a show of force and Blitzkrieg Hoshido, killing all in their wake." Demon said to Ryoma, taking a moment to breathe in carefully.

The High Prince sighed. "Great... I'll need to start rallying forces for that now..."

"and I need to recover and stop Xander from doing any serious damage to Hoshido...which I know will be probably with in the week." Demon added, noting he was going to be back up on his feet sooner rather than later. "Seeing me alive, will get him out of his enraged state... and the less wounded I am... I have to prevent that confrontation; two armies clashing would not do good for either country."

The princess in the room thought it over before letting out a long sigh. "Sadly, I doubt it would help. Like it or not, this will be the start of the war. Whether it's over you or not."

Demon would not accept that answer. "look you two, I have... Important people in Nohr, and I'm not about to Nohr and Hoshido to rip each other to pieces because I was that Ace in the deck of cards to start it..." Demon explained. "I got two kids, and from my two maids..." He tried to down play his information for sympathetic reasoning rather than knowledge of the future. "And before you ask, yes...Polygamy is not looked down in Nohr...technically I'm not even married..." He groaned, trying to make himself look like an idiot.

Hinoka felt a pang of jealousy in her heart at those words. "I-Is that so?" She asked him with a slightly hurt look in her eyes. "We'll have to be sure to recover them then..."

What's with that look? You didn't have a problem with it last time?

Demon just gave Hinoka an odd look. "Well you can't... their village in the north of Nohr is being held hostage, with my maids being political hostages..." Demon added.

Ryoma patted his shoulder and gave the younger prince a reassuring look. "Well, when we start our campaign of Nohr, we'll be sure to free them first and foremost. Along with your children and Shad."

"Hell No...I'm not about to let Hoshido march right in to Nohr, that's not going to end well for either side." Demon was completely against, not to mention Garon would use his own children.

The High prince sighed and took a seat. "Damon... I don't see how we can then. War is inevitable at this point."

"Well simple let me go talk to my brother and stop his charge, problem solved..." Demon pointed out seeing Xander stopped his charge.

Ryoma gave him a look of fury, not directed at him, but at his enemy. "They killed our father... stole you, then Shad. This has become personal to us."

"Really now? Garon's children killed your father?" Demon asked crossing his arms against his chest.

"No... but that doesn't mean we can't punish who did."

"Sure, but going to war, throwing away lives?" Demon asked.

Hinoka tried to think of how to explain it. "If we don't, then we're on the defensive when Garon attacks. And he will. No matter what anyone says or does."

You stubborn fools...I know who to talk to...

Demon took a deep breath before exhaling. "I'm going to go have a word with Mother..." Demon said making a limp to the door. Hinoka made to stop him again, but Ryoma stopped her with a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Let him..." the High Prince stated, a hint of disappointment in his tone. Not for his brother, but for himself and how things were turning out.

Demon opened the sliding door and immediately stopped seeing the red Chevalian knight Scarlet. "Eh?" Demon asked seeing she wasn't here before.

She blinked twice before stabbing something into his neck. "Sorry," the knight sighed as her brew flooded his system. "Mikoto's orders... You aren't to leave this room."

Ow fuck...should've saw that one coming... And...what didsssshhhhheeee say? No,n no...sumfing...not...right...

Demon moved his right hand under her jaw line. "Di..Did anyone tell you have beautiful eyes..." He slurred seeing the drugs and alcohol were mixing already. There was a pink dusting on her cheeks at his declaration before he fell into her arms.

"One person did... a few years back..." Scarlet replied as she placed him in his bed.

No...stop...get up... Get up...Get up...move...this is time consuming...get angry... bring out the pain..

Demon's eyes slowly flickered as the struggle was almost too much for his mind, between healing and counteracting the drugs his body was shutting down. His last glimpse of cohesive thought saw Scarlet and his siblings leaving so he could get some much-needed rest.

---

Demon awoke with a gasp in the middle of the night, boiling mad, as he searched the room with the lights out from the candles being blown out.

She Drugged me! Gods damn it!

Demon used his mana to light the candles so he can see what he could do. While the pain from Hinoka and the archer's shots was dulled considerably, the strikes from his brother were burning like they were fresh cut, despite being sealed up for the most part.

History has changed... it's all different... I have to get out of here...

Demon winced limping to his armor and equipment before whishing his mana in his right hand to equip it all. "No time like the present... Got to get moving..." Demon said to himself limping to the door as he slid it open to make sure no one was out in the hall. Due to how long ago the memories of this place were in his original time line, they were significantly faded. And he didn't have much time to memorize the layout either, only being there for around a week. So, suffice to say, he had no idea where he was going as he stumbled about the wood floor.

Demon looked around in the dark and quietly moved towards an end to the hall seeing several doors. Each room had a language native to Hoshido, a language he never learned. "Damn it..." He looked at each door before he took the one in the middle, sliding it open to see what he can find to help in his escape. The interior was clean for the most part, except for a table on one of the walls that was covered in scrolls and what looked to be an elaborate alchemy set. Ingredients were neatly placed in separate areas, ranging to animal parts to plants and even dead insects.

Where the Hell is the equipment? I need to make my way outside, and what I have on me is not going to help me..

As he turned to leave, he tripped and fell over a scroll at his feet, sending him headfirst onto the floor. Demon swore loudly and picked up the offending document before noticing something odd; it was written in Nohrian.

It was a rough translation, but a translation none of the less... and judging by the penmanship and ink, it looked to be written a few years back. His mind filled in the gaps as he read the scroll, now intrigued at what it could have said.

Hello. My name is Shad... Damn, this is stupid...but, necessary if I want to be able to read and forge Nohrian documents. I've decided to start keeping my more personal logs in Nohrian, both to practice and to keep my siblings from decoding it easily... Heh. Like they're blood at all. I don't know much about who I am exactly, but my not being Hoshidan is one of them. I don't have the same structure, eye color or anything that could point to me being born here. But that doesn't matter. These people raised me and are just as family to me as my own blood would be.

Demon felt a spear at the back of his neck, freezing immediately as he recognized that it was Scarlet, and him being in the dark did not help his situation.

```fuck```

"Get out..." Scarlet hissed, her tone pained.

Demon took one breath, before moving his blade to her spear quickly slapping it to the ground putting the blade to her neck. "Back off..." He warned stepping closer with a limp.

She took a step closer, forcing him to pull his blade back lest he kill her. "No... you leave this room. Now!"

"Woman would you shut your mouth, you're being awfully loud..." Demon said in an anoyed tone.

"You have a sword at my neck. I could scream and have the entire castle here in seconds," she countered.

"You had a spear at mine..." Demon retorted.

Her red eyes pierced him. "Because you're in a room no one is allowed to go in anymore."

Demon growled a bit, this was not right, none of them were acting like the way they used to. "Well La de da... Now, move out of my way... or else." Demon gave her a warning.

Scarlet glared before stepping back and picking up her spear. "Fine. But you're going back to your room."

"Oh no I'm not, you see I'm getting out of here and going to go stop this stupid war, or else I burn down this room." He chuckled as he was dead serious of leaving.

With a quick flick of her wrist, the pommel of her spear flung his sword out of his hand and swept his legs from underneath him. Scarlet kicked the blade away and held him at spear point. "Try me..." She growled hostilely.

"As you wish..." Demon said with a shrug, sacrificing his left shoulder as he moved the spear in to his bone, moving upwards and pinning her down to the ground. "You stupid, proud, woman..." Demon hissed in pain. He felt something bite into his hip and inject something in him.

"He might have rejected me..." Scarlet growled as she shoved him off, his body beginning to fail him. "But I will protect what he's left behind."

"Mmmm...HMmmmha...he...hah.. .." Demon cheaked up slowly as he spat out blood. "Sorry doll... that only works when I'm drunk..." He winced grabbing his blade, "A bit doozy though..." He slurred a bit.

Scarlet leapt up as she grabbed her spear and literally kicked him out of the room before following him out and closing it. "Queen Mikoto's orders. You are to stay in your room until you are fit to leave."

"Bull shit! I know what's going on, you all think I'm crazy, maybe even mad... but the fact of the matter is, I have to save you all from yourselves..." Demon hissed.

"She isn't lying," a long familiar voice stated. "It was under my orders that you stay in your room for now."

Mom?

Demon turned around to face his mother, sheathing his sword. "Mom?" Demon asked with caution. "Is that you?"

Mikoto nodded with a smile laced with gladness and disappointment. "Indeed... I came to visit you since you wanted to speak with me, according to your siblings... but to think you'd try to leave yourself..."

"Yeah... I was expecting you to be at my room... but you weren't...just told me I wasn't welcomed in your eyes, so I went to go do my thing and save people... " Demon explained in his own point.

The queen gave him a hurt and offended look. "My order was for your own good. You can hardly walk, let alone fight."

"When on the Gods green Earth...was that ever your concern? My own good? You have no idea of my own good? Hell, you hardly even know me... the only thing you did was give birth to me and I get kidnapped... My own good was my well being and happiness..." Demon stood his ground in defiance.

Those words struck deep in her, but she pressed on with a hint of venom in her voice. "Perhaps not... but I refuse to lose another child. Especially to his own reckless nature."

"Right because I could've died a few hours earlier and you didn't take the time to come see your long lost son." Demon argued.

"You think I didn't try?!" Mikoto asked him, tears in her eyes.

"Oh what stopped you? You're the fucking queen of Hoshido, you could've done anything you damn well pleased." Demon said with a low tone.

"... Do you even know what it means to be a ruler? A true king? I just lost someone the kingdom treasured dearly and the people were in a panic!"

Oh the Irony... I was a King too...for all it did me any good...

"listen... 'Mom' I feel you...but I got two kids at home...yeah grandchildren for you... They're... probably worried sick about me... and I'm doing what I have to, to stop this damn war..." He said reverting a bit back to Damon.

Mikoto rubbed her temples and calmed down herself. "I... understand that. As a parent myself and someone who doesn't want this war either, I want to help you. But how do you expect to do much of anything when you can hardly fight?"

"I can... hobble just fine..." He groaned under breath.

"Right. And when a large group of bandits attacks and you can't escape?" She questioned. "… I don't wish to force you to stay. But you at least need to heal."

"You're not giving me a choice... are you?" Demon asked Mikoto.

A small tear ran down her eye as she embraced him. "I'd rather live with your resentment than your blood on my hands... because I couldn't help you when you were hurt and died for it..."

Demon gritted his teeth, he was living hostage in his own madness and their 'hospitality.' "….." His rage boiled over as the rattling from his armor was apparent, and clenched fists.

Mikoto picked up on this and asked one key question. "Or would you rather actually die and leave your children and lover alone? Because you weren't well enough to make the journey to get back to them?"

…. how dare you...

Demon bit his tongue, knowing she wasn't backing down, all he did was remove himself from the situation and limp back to his room. "Thank you," Mikoto breathed out in relief; finally, something was going right today. "I know you aren't happy about this, but I'll make it up to you when this is all settled. I promise."

I'm trying to save you all... and you all want to fall on that pointy sword...

Demon shut his door, falling against the frame of the door, as he began to brood.

Can you blame them though? It's not like they know what's coming. And we can't really tell them either.

Oh the gangs all back huh?

Good to hear from you again too, Demon.

Well it's official...it's now Me, myself, and I... against the coming war.

Appears that way. But look man... I know we, or rather you, aren't too big on the whole empathy thing, but think about it from mom's perspective. One of her kids is likely dead, and the one who's finally returned is on death's door. I don't really blame her for wanting to protect us.

Did you forget, that we lost Max?! He died in my arms!

No. But that isn't until much later and when we didn't have so many new faces with us. Don't try lying to yourself. Those memories of yours are next to useless now. Look at how much has changed already! Longer lasting wounds, everyone over here is hurt over that Shad guy getting taken, and then there's that whole drama with Scarlet. Nothing here is like it was then, so it's best to try and go with the flow until we figure out the extent of the changes. Perhaps another romp in that room is in order?

I forgot how much I hated myself, your advice isn't helping stopping that destined war at that bridge of fates.

About that though... even with the new faces, things have stayed relatively the same. You still got taken by Garon, raised in the Northern Fortress, met Flora and Felicia at the same time... may some points in time are fixed while others can be altered?

No, they're completely different, Scarlet has this mood to her...which means being with her might not happen... Hinoka didn't spend her whole life looking for me, so I'm just some random no body to her, and she thinks she lost her chance with me...

To be fair, you literally just said you had lovers and kids to her face.

That means I wasn't limited or tied down, and hoping they'd back off to get them to stop talking...plus it could've dissuaded them from the war... seeing how there are people down there..

Thus that fixed point theory. It's likely you can do nothing without alerting the Dark One to our knowledge. And what if you do prevent it and he finds out? You think he's just going to wait like last time and let you do as you wish with your knowledge?

Well I'm fucked...

Actually, that Shad guy... Pam spoke like he lived through that hit and Camilla's wrath. He's apparently our ace and wild card. Who knows? Maybe he'll do something we don't know about yet?

We have less than a week... before words and blades start flying...that's all I'm going to say..

---

Two Days later...

Demon awoke from his sleep as he heard two sets of feet hit the ground, though he refused to move as he just laid in bed with his back turned to the girls. "Looks like we found someone in a bad mood," Selena joked as she took a seat next to the prince. "… you're alive..." She turned him around as he pretended to play dead with all the injuries, stiches and sores on his chest. "Gods... what happened to you?!"

Beruka quickly put her hands around Selena's mouth trying to keep her quiet, seeing as they were deep in enemy territory. "Thought she could have been quieter, I must agree. Those wounds look grievous..."

His red eyes cracked open seeing Selena and Beruka. "Great... I'm hallucinating..." He said, barely containing a laugh, turning around to face the wall and cover up.

"I still believe an explanation is in order..." The assassin pressed. "We weren't at the fight when you were apparently killed. What happened?"

"Wait... Hallucinations don't talk back..." Demon said moving his hands over to their heads, faces, and then chests.

Selena punched his shoulder halfheartedly as Beruka continued to talk. "Enough joking around... Everyone is going through hell back home because we thought you died..."

"Ow! SFFF damn it... well I almost did you crazy... Beautiful... Burgandy haired... assassin." He said with a huff, while wincing from the pain in his shoulder.

"Flattery aside, Selena and I weren't there. All we hear was you were attacked and fell into the abyss... yet here you are. Recovering."

"I was... Stabbed... shot... hit with venomous blades...sliced, and broke my rib cage during that fall... they hauled my body here, stitched me up and are keeping me here..." Demon said with a huff.

Selena gave him an incredulous look. "The fact you are still alive is nothing short of a miracle."

"I'm pretty sure Leo is going to have a field day with my 'devil's luck' theory' " He half joked.

Selena chuckled at the joke before letting out a sigh. "Damn... now what? We can't very well haul your useless ass back to Nohr but we can't just leave you alone either."

"First of all...ouch... That hurt Selena, and I thought we had a connection going..." He winced as he sat up slowly.

"Profanity aside, she has a point," Beruka started to explain. "You aren't exactly known for your stealth, and in your condition, that slim dropped to an impossible one."

"So good that my protectors are actually protecting me from my own ideocracy..." He joked patting Beruka on the head.

She blushed slightly from the contact before continuing, turning to Selena. "I think it best if one of us leaves to give a report to the others in Nohr while another stays here to watch over Damon. Whoever leaves can return to continue watch over him afterwards. We can switch who goes out every few days. I volunteer to do this first." The assassin stood and looked to the window. "Now that I know where we are, it shouldn't be too big a problem." She took a leap up and scrambled out, leaving her friend and master's brothe alone.

Demon remained silent as he shifted his head on Selena's lap. "What took you so long?" Demon asked Selena, rubbing the back of his head on her legs.

"Outside of knowing nothing about Hoshido's geography? We did have to sneak in," Selena pointed out.

"Oh good, now I can listen to you bitch about me, being stupid, sloppy, and hot headed..." He joked. "Lay it on me..." He gave her a trollish smile.

The red head only smirked as she replied. "Why should I have to? All those scars on you say it all, mister battle prodigy."

"OOoooo... that cut deeper than those scars...good one..." He joked, moving his head closer to her stomach.

"Yeah yeah... yuk it up you lug..." Selena let out a long sigh.

"let me guess, you think Camilla is going to reward you for your excellent service, for finding me? Going to that beach?" He lapped it up.

"Partially... but also kinda sad to see you think it's so funny that we thought you almost died... it hurt everyone when you fell into that abyss."

"When did I say it was funny? You must be imagining things..." Demon brushed off the accusation.

Selena gave him a mock sour look. "Hey, you're the one joking about it."

"When?" Demon asked, seeing he had no recollection of saying such thing.

"Pretending we were hallucinations, thinking I was going to tear into you over almost getting killed... the only reason I would is to make sure it doesn't happen again... which I doubt. The bastard who you were fighting was locked up when Beruka and I left."

"You're a sweet thing Selena..." Demon said moving his arms around her waist, nestling his head in her stomach.

Normally she would have punched him for it, but this time she allowed it, wrapping her arms around his waist in return. "I'm not going to dignify that with a scathing remark..."

"That's why I love you..." He said with a smile, knowing she would act in such a way, knowing a way through a Tsundere's mind was through her heart.

A knuckle found his head. "Don't throw that word around whenever you want. Especially when you don't mean it."

"Don't mean it?" Demon asked slowly sitting up from his bed, to look at her. "Who says I don't mean it?" He asked the protector.

Selena ignored the comment and got up. "I should get back to hiding. Gods know when someone's going to walk through that door."

"Hey it's late, no one's busting down that door... you tell me what that means? I don't mean it... I want to hear it from your lips not from your prideful thoughts..." He said to the woman, while a throb in his chest was hurting him. The pain brought back memories of how he was... broken, useless, dependent... Demon snapped, as he shot up from the bed startling Selena.

Demon immediately began to unravel his bandages as quick as he could, gritting his teeth, hearing his own heart beat. His envenomed wounds weren't even that bad to his surprise, it was the arrow and naginata wound that was really doing it for him. "Wow... none of that looks okay..." Selena stated, seeing as the chest wound in particular was looking a bit of a sickly purple. Demon grabbed the knife tied to her boot, moving the curved edge to the barely held strings of threads and began to start cutting them one by one. "So... what do you intend to do then? Call for backup?""

"Look away..." Demon said to Selena, as he heated the dagger up, before opening his chest wounds up and started to plunge the blade in to the infected areas, burning and letting out a sizzling sound, followed by a rancid smell. Sickly greens, whites and yellows spurted from the heated areas, but the purple faded to an angry red at the very least.

"Do you uh... need a towel?" Selena asked, holding her nose.

"Go boil some water and get some thread and a needle." Demon said calmly moving the blade downwards, stabbing the next area.

"Okay, wait," the mercenary stopped him, grabbing his arm and pulling it out of the wound. "Nothing else until we get all that... junk off you," she ordered, pointing out the infected residue.

"Just hurry, I have a heated dagger in a wound... when you get the boiled water do what I say." Demon ordered her.

Selena sighed and snuck off into the kitchen, swiping a filled pot of water and bringing it back to the room. "Give me a light, I wasn't about to carry a boiling pot all the way back here."

Demon sparked the pot causing the bottom to turn red hot, boiling water for her. "Thank you." She used a pair of tongs to put a few towels in the water, heating them up while saving a couple more to dry him off.

Demon moved down to each infected area around his scarring flesh. "There is one more place, her Naginata's blade almost hit my left lung..." Demon looked down inside his chest moving his flesh around a bit seeing the infected tissue.

*TTTTSSSSSZZZZZZZZCHHHHTTTT*

Demon's eyes went blood shot as he could feel the heated poke, removing the dagger, her grabbed the string of thread. What Demon did next brought light to Selena's eyes as he grabbed the top of the thread running his finger down the length turning the fabric thread in to a metal coil of wire. "Um... how do you know how to do all this?" She asked, trying to strike up conversation.

"Alchemy, funny thing... " He said putting the wire through the needle.

The mercenary nodded. "Huh... I saw a lab a few rooms down... you want me to see if there's anything useful in there?"

"This is the fun part..." Demon said with a hiss, as he started to spark the thread and needle, glowing red hot, Demon lanced the sliced flesh causing steam and sizzling skin to boil his skin. Demon drove the hot needle to the cross point where the flesh opened. Pulling up he pulled the thread and needle through before crossing over to the next section. He repeated the process twenty times. Demon tightened the wiring. His mana began the recuperating stages starting to mend his flesh and scaring, grabbing a cloth he put it in the boiling water before grabbing the hot cloth cleaning the stitched area wiping it. "This is to clean the closed area..." Demon explained to his protector.

"Um... wouldn't it have been smarter to clean the pus and stuff off before you started opening wounds?" Selena asked him, poking a hole in everything he just did.

"No, trust me you don't want to flush out anything further into your blood... mine being everywhere and in my chest? It was safer to burn it out, then flush it in my blood stream..." He said grabbing his sword putting it to his own fire.

"Right... first aid isn't my specialty..." The red head sighed, slightly embarrassed that her logic was debunked in a snap.

"It's alright, now Selena I need you do do something and you're not going to like it..." Demon said handing his blade to her. "Cauterize it... " He said laying down for her. She swallowed hard and took the blade, slamming down on her nerves to keep her hand from shaking.

"Just place the hot blade on my skin, seal the stiches in to place, this will close up the skin for good, and I can remove the stitches within a week." Demon advised her as the red hot searing blade was sizzling and glowing.

"Okay... sorry about this..." She pressed the blade to his skin, the room immediately smelling like a carcass.

*SSSSSSSSSSSZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT*

Demon's eyes began to flicker and twitch, as he was counting down to ten. "Up." Demon said to her, telling her to move the blade up. She nodded and complied, the proecess going on for a few moments.

"Is that it?" Selena asked after sealing another portion, the scent making her sick.

Demon looked at the cloth taking it out of the water and wiping it down. Demon used his mana to ignite the blade again. "One more time..." Demon said laying back down, seeing it needed to seal properly.

The foreign beauty gulped and suppressed a gag. "I swear, I'm going to vomit..." She pressed the blade to him one last time, almost holding true to her word as the scent pounded her again.

"Do you want to...hear something? Medics sometimes don't brush their teeth out in the field...you want to know why?" Demon asked as the flesh seared.

"If I throw up on you because of this, it's on you..." She muttered, trying to keep her stomach from rebelling.

"So the smell of decay doesn't bother them... They put their own hygiene at risk... To save someone's life... barbaric, but when there isn't a healer?... the smell of flesh becomes natural...Alright... up." Demon said with a wince.

"Gods... I can't imagine living without magic now more than ever..." She shivered, quenching the blade in a spare pot of water.

Demon's hands were trembling as he grabbed the cloth submerging it in hot water before applying to his wounds, rubbing the area. He paused as he slowly got up helping her up. "Now...now the bandaging..." Demon motioned for the clean bandages.

"Uh... here... I need to open a window..." Selena bolted for the opening in the wall after handing him the wrappings, taking in gulps of fresh air to keep herself from passing out.

"Severa... I need you to help me with this." Demon said her true name.

She stopped dead, the smell not an issue anymore. "Where... how do you know that name?" She asked with suspicion in her voice.

"When you have a blade above me at all time? I had to find out who you really were to make sure you weren't an assassin...your name came up." Demon lied expertly.

She gave him an accusing glare. "Yeah, nice try. Only two people knew my real name coming into Nohr and we swore to each other not to tell anyone what they were."

"...you're right there is no use lying to you... I could never lie to you with a straight face..." Demon turned around to meet her gaze.

"So, what is it then?" She questioned him.

"Would you believe we knew each other in another life?" Demon asked Selena.

A frown marred her face. "… No. I know for a fact we didn't."

"…..Well we did, in my life I knew a lot about you..."

"Shut up..." Selena growled.

"How do you think I came across your name, or know about that Kimono you kept in your possession from a gift that one of your friends got for you?" Demon asked. "That enough? Or do you need more proof?" Demon asked.

"...Where's the brand then? Huh?" Selena asked, her tone cold as ice. "All the times I've see you, never once have you shown it."

"….. Severa I know it sounds crazy but... you and I we... we had something..." Demon tried to explain to her, while knowing he had no other proof. That is, until a few things started to click together. "You... Wait...no, no, hold on I'm not claiming to be someone from your place, Hell no... I'm talking about here in the civil war that's about to happen..." Demon tried to correct himself.

"Save it..." Selena scoffed as she headed out of the room, clearly hurt over her own past.

"Gods damn it... Selena wait..." Demon grabbed her arm. "Please... just wait, I'm sorry ok... I just wanted to tell you I love you... okay? Was that so hard...actually yeah that was hard for me to say..." Demon said to himself.

"… You wanna know something? Part of me believes you. Mainly because I've done it myself. But you? Do you have any idea what you're doing right now? Trying to pull this on me here, when it's clearly not supposed to happen?"

"not supposed to happen? You kissed me ...back then... you were excited to see me, perked up, for Gods sakes Selena you...you were..." Demon clenched his fits taking a step back turning around towards the window.

"Yeah... and you know what? I was. And I probably would have accepted it," the mercenary chuckled. "But now?"

"No... Stay away from me... go far away from me... I can't bring someone in to this world like that ever again..." Demon said as he started to back away from her, nearing the opened window. Flashes of pure bliss, romance, and passion filled his head, not paying attention to where he was walking behind. Followed by flashes of bodies, blood, and tears.

"Oh, don't you worry... it would have happened. But you blew it. Not some wyvern shit alternate timeline."

"STOP! S̷̳͚̻̬̻̳̖̋I̝̝̓ͮ͋̀ͥLȆ̗̜̝Ǹ͒ͥČ̷̨͈̗̲͗̔̍̈́Ḛ̸̹̲͔͐́!̻̫ͮ̑͡͡" Demon snapped as he looked out the edge of the window, shaking with fear and pain.

Selena looked at him with a pitying look. "Fine... I'll stop. But I suggest you take a long look at what you actually came here to do. Otherwise?" She pulled him away from the window and shoved him back to his bed. "You're only going to make things worse." She climbed out the window and shut it behind her, looking out at the landscape while making sure he didn't do anything drastic.

Demon, enraged kick the window open grabbing her by her shoulders slamming her to the wall. "You want to know why I act the way I did?! "

"Because everyone died?" She asked bluntly.

"YOU DIED! STABBED, THROUGH THE BACK!" He snapped.

She stared him down with a knowing look in her eyes. "And?"

"YOU WERE FUCKING PREGNANT!" Demon cried looking at her.

"Happy as that makes me... why rush it then? You knew it was going to happen, so why not let it run its course?"

"I never got the time... I never...got the time with you... I wanted to have all the time I could..." He said to her.

"Yeah... and It's that selfish attitude that got Lucina's dad killed too... and my mom... my own father... almost everyone I've ever known..." She seethed.

"….I saw it happen to me...twice... Betrayed, abandoned, loved, lost it all..."

Selena had the gall to laugh. "You think you have it rough?! I had that second chance! And me, and all of my friends, fucked it up! Because we got greedy! Like you're being now!"

"….I wasn't greedy in the last time... I did everything right... Then I was stopped..."

"Oh? Did you now? You made every right call, did everything picture perfect? Fate just went against you? Or did you make a bad call near the end? And that's what screwed us over?" Her words stung. Harshly. Mainly because it was the truth.

"….Yes, the defining moment...I chose to try and attack Garon while attempting to save my daughter, Kana..."

"Yeah... and you're doing it again by rushing things, trying to get more time than you should have." Selena sighed and pushed him off, rubbing her temples. "Okay... I get it. Alright? I really, honestly do."

"You really..."

"But!" Selena cut him off.

"Don't... I fought twisted...we fought twisted versions of our kids...I don't know how...I don't know why? But it was apparent? It...did things to me...told me what I wasn't... A good father...a lover..."

"I meant what you're going through now, if you'd listen to me," Selena sighed, patting his shoulder. "And honestly, it can't have been that accurate if you managed to seamlessly juggled multiple lovers, if my inclusion as well as Flora and Felicia is any indication."

"I rather you...flee... I don't want to put Karen through that again..." He said slumping down against the wall.

"… What happens is up to you," the mercenary sighed, sitting against the other wall. "If you'd rather I find someone else, fine. I will. But you have to make this work without shifting how it happened from now on."

This isn't my Selena... I don't belong here...

Um... dude. You made it that way this time. That's her point. You tried to rush things and it backfired. And it seems she's still willing to give it a shot, but you can't keep doing this!

No... I'm going to do something I should've probably never done...to be that person that was supposed to sacrifice himself for the greater good... if I never made those connections in the war? None of that would've happened... that was on me... and me alone...

Yes. But at the same time, you wouldn't have fallen for any of these women, would you? Some of them only fell during the fighting.

They're not the same... The outcomes are all different, Hinoka is distant from me... Scarlet is weakened in will.

Aaaaand you're just going to give up? Gods, I knew we came back for a reason... you're split again.

No...I'm just not going to care this time...fuck the consequences, fuck these choices and fuck this place...

So what?

You're simply going to abandon the ones you love because they aren't one for one with what happened? It is far too early in the timeline to determine what can and won't happen!

And how we fell in love is completely different, how she moved and advanced her feelings were different.

Big fucking deal! If you really love them all as much as you say you do, you'd make it work!

We were fated, then...but now? I can't feel anything.

… So you're letting that man win then? The one who said, and I quote, "Now you truly know how it feels to lose it all?"

I̵̱ͣt̪ͩͫ'̝̈́͠s ̠̾̎timͅe̽͜.̔ͨ͒.̶̶̊.. ͗to play a game with fate.

… I won't be helping you leave. If you're to do it, it will be as a man.

Stuff it flying fuck, you're in my body, and I command you.

Demon stood up from the floor grabbing his sword, as he moved over to his equipment, he used his mana, to mend his equipment placing his armor back on. There was a knock at his door. "Hey, uh... Damon, right?" Scarlet's voice asked from the other side.

Demon was about to open the door but suddenly... Demon out of the darkness was tackled by a smaller figure with blonde hair, wielding a curved cursed knife. Scarlet could hear the sudden crash in the room. "Time to die daddy..." Aynes said under her hood, bringing the blade closer to his chest.

YOU!

Demon grabbed her arms keeping the blade away from his chest. She let out a low laugh as she ignited a flame. "You know... momma Flora took this for you last time... wanna see how it feels now?"

"You little shit.." Demon growled quietly as he tried to keep the blade out of his armor and wound. Slowly but surely, she started making headway, his weakened body failing him.

I̵̱ͣt̪ͩͫ'̝̈́͠s ̠̾̎timͅe̽͜.̔ͨ͒.̶̶̊.. ͗to let go fool...

Demon struggled with all his might to keep the blade from his skin as the armor was melting around the blade. A loud shout shocked both of them, and the blonde girl was punted off by Scarlet. "I don't know who you are... but you aren't killing my ward..." The other blonde growled at the girl.

"hehehehehehehehehhehehehe..." She chuckled under her hood, her blonde hair a mess and in strings. "I was soooo close...tooo... but you're going to have to step aside... like riiight now..." Aynes said sheathing her dagger.

Scarlet did not falter. "No... I'm not," she stated evenly, her spear in hand.

She summoned her own spear, electric and covered in a dense steel. "Your funeral..." She cheered moving forward as she made a mad dash for the two. She stopped, feeling a pressure in her head and groaned. "But Uncle- Fine..." She sent a venomous glare at the two. "Don't think this is over." She jumped back, melding into the shadows and disappearing from sight.

Demon was trembling as he fell to the ground, sighing as he came close to the cold embrace. "Just another second..." Demon huffed out.

"That... was way too close. I'll have to have Mikoto post more guards around here..." Scarlet sighed.

"Don't bother... the shadows provide the gateway... it's how the traverse like the way you saw her go away?" Demon asked.

"Fine then... Guess I won't," the blonde knight sighed and turned to Demon. "Hey, uh... about a few nights ago-"

"No... I'm sorry." Demon apologized to her.

"No, no... I'm sorry," the knight bowed. "I completely over reacted."

"No, it was my ignorance, and arrogance... I escalated..." Demon continued to apologize.

Scarlet couldn't help but giggle at the sheer absurdity of what was happening. "Let's just say we're both to blame, agreed?"

"More of me actually, you were just doing your duty... me? I was being an ass... looking to get out." Demon argued.

"Well... I still wanted to start over," she stated, sticking out her hand.

"You sure? My heart is stiff and frozen... now would be the time to break it." Demon joked.

"I could... but I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone myself," the knight laughed.

"Really? You could be doing that nutbar who just attacked me a load of favors..." He said to her.

"Nah... knowing how it feels myself? I just couldn't." The blonde smiled sadly.

"...You're trying to do something similar with me? I'm an enemy combatant-officer-Noble..." Demon reminded her.

"No, you're the son of a country I'm trying to ally with," Scarlet retorted. "And I am Scarlet. A knight of Cheve. It's nice to meet you..."

"Occupied Cheve... hopefully to be free soon..." Damon said nodding at her knowing the Chevalian struggles.

"… It's nice to meet you, mister..." She was a bit more jokingly aggressive this time, almost shoving her hand into him.

"Damon..." Demon said, holding out his hand. She clasped it and shook, smiling at him brightly.

That smile is going to kill me...

"It's nice to meet you, Prince Damon," the knight smiled at him.

"I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty to clean my own wounds...re stiched it."

"Oh... that's actually part of the reason I came here," she chuckled to herself.

Demon raised an eyebrow. "Did you want to inspect?" He asked the woman.

"To make sure you're doing alright, yeah," she replied with a smirk, knowing what he was trying to get at.

Scarlet was shocked that he was already out of his armor rather quickly, as he pulled his shirt over his head. "Here..."

I'll forever hold that memory of you Scarlet...when you lost to me and were forced to wear that skimpy maid uniform...

… Hate to say I told you so, buuuuuut... I'm part of you. So yeah. Told ya.

Scarlet saw his chest, looking at the work done to it, seeing how fast and clean he had to operate. Wired stitches, burns from cauterizing. "Well?" Demon asked the Knight.

"Looks like you did alright... for being by yourself and all," she nodded, a bit suspicious of the treatment, but approving none the less.

Demon paused seeing Selena didn't come over to help him during his scuffle. "…..Yeah ...alone ...Thanks..." Demon said with a slight frown, feeling his heart pull after that skirmish with Selena...no Severa...Selena was someone from his time that actually had an attraction, and not once did it falter. Demon was still getting over the fact that the added faces meant something else entirely. Hinoka could be distant from him for good meaning what was to happen on the bridge...she won't look for him. Whatever happens is already set in motion. The way some people were acting, put him on an expanded path rather than a narrowed tunnel vision... he was scared.

Flora and Felicia fell in love with me on earlier circumstances... Camilla is still there... outside of that? My Noka is changed... Scarlet fell in love... Severa... she's different and most likely fell in love with this Robin guy, when he didn't do anything? I'm looking at this completely different...

Hmph. About time.

Do you really...really think it's appropriate to poke the beast?

No... He could literally feel the dragon smirking in his head. Do you?

Don't forget who your talking to... I am the Demon King...my fear and recognition goes over your primal insanity you flying fuck...

Fair enough... but before I go, I must warn you of something. And this is by no means a joke at all. There was a far stronger dragon than us on that battlefield. FAR stronger. I suggest you remain cautious until we find out who that is.

The Bigger they are... the harder they fall...

"Hey. You feeling alright?" Scarlet asked, concern on her face.

A last look at the window. "Just a little alone... I hate it..." He said with a heavy heart.

The crimson knight sighed and pulled him into an embrace. "Gods... what are we going to do with you? I'll let everyone know you're doing okay enough for visits now. I'll be sure to pop in every now and again too if you want."

Demon froze as he nuzzled his head on her left shoulder silently letting out a stuttered exhale of air. For Demon this was the best and closest he was going to get to her, feeling the pained sense of regret and inaction of advancing anything with her. "If you don't mind tomorrow morning I'd like to get some fresh air and take a walk around..." Demon suggested.

The knight nodded and patted his head. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Maybe near a lake... I saw a really beautiful one outside my window..." Demon said with a sigh.

"Yeah... the view there is pretty good," the blonde knight agreed. "One of the princesses likes to hang out there too, I think."

It wasn't much but it was enough to keep him going for a short time, as Demon's lost sense of regret was now apparent.

---

Two days later...

Demon was eating out of his bowl, with chopsticks almost expertly, as he retained the knowledge of his past life thanks to Hinoka... he knew it wouldn't be appropriate for Hinoka to feed him, as she didn't harbor the dedication to go after him... from what he gleamed from rumors and stories around the castle, that was apparently due to a fight that left both her and some monster of a fighter scarred badly.

Hearing that made him hate this life for her, as she was his Noka...it was unfair seeing she had to go through a cold realization of pain to realize that chasing him all alone wasn't the way... yet that chase got her dedicated to do more and more to get Damon back. All Demon could do was share one rare sad glance, seeing he didn't know how to get with her, since she was completely different, more reserved, less hot headed. But most of all, the overall tone of the capital felt... somber. Empty even.

He immediately missed the pain of his chest, to take his mind off the situation worsening. "Sake... please." Demon held out his glass. Sakura passed him the bottle, just like last time.

Demon's hands touched Sakura's rather gently, causing her hand to shiver, feeling the contact dropping the Sake vase on his lap breaking it. "I-I'm sorry!" She exclaimed, her shyness coming out.

"It's alright..." Demon said grabbing a napkin wiping off the liquid. "Great, I'm going to smell like fermented plum and rice..." He joked, putting the pieces on to the table. To his surprise, Takumi chuckled at the joke.

"That isn't too bad now, is it?" The prince asked with a small smile. "It isn't dung at least."

Demon paused as he concentrated at the broken pieces waving his hand over it, the vase immediately reconstructed. "Here..." Demon smiled handing it to Sakura.

"Th-thank you..." She smiled, taking it back gratefully.

"So... Damon..." Takumi sighed, placing his chopsticks down. "I know we haven't had much time to do so lately, so allow me to formally welcome you back home."

"…. Thank you, I'm grateful." He put his right fist to his palm, bowing his head.

What the actual fuck?! Since when was Takumi ever nice to me?! Literally one person had this big an impact on people!? The asshole tried to kill me several times, almost had Felicia fed to his men, and started a fucking Civil War!

Takumi seemed to pick up on his brother's internal debate. "Ah... I suppose you heard about how I apparently hate the Nohrians, right? Well, allow me to clarify something; I don't. It's kind of hard to when not one, but two are your brothers are technically Nohrian in one respect or another. I've long since learned to pass judgement only after learning what a person is actually like."

"...Scheisse..." Demon stood from his seat. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to retire for the night." Demon said to his family.

"Alright... have a good night, Damon," Hinoka smiled, followed by a nod from Sakura.

"We'll see you tomorrow, my son," Mikoto beamed at him.

Demon stopped to look at Hinoka one last time, before making his way down the hall way, in deep thought. Demon stopped in front of his door, expecting someone to be in there, knowing what was going on. As he opened the door right on cue, the girls were eating cooked fish sticks. "..." Demon didn't say anything as he made his way to his pack, pulling out the last of Camilla's wine, and extracting it from the glass in to the canteen. "Is something bothering you?" Beruka asked in her usual monotone, but there was a bit of concern in there.

"Cold Realization... I should be ready to travel tomorrow..." Demon said drinking his wine, rather quickly.

The assassin nodded. "Good. Perhaps you can stop this war after all?" She asked, trying to provide him with wishful thinking and boost his spirits.

"I love your wishful thinking..." He sighed. "Xander and the others know I'm alive, they'll attempt a rescue now... I need to get out to the border to meet up with them... then turn them around and head home... there's...really nothing left for me here." Demon gave out a drawn sigh out.

Beruka nodded, a slight frown on her face. "If that's what you think is best, then we shall help-" There was a knock at the door. Both of Camilla's retainers leapt from the floor and into the rafters to hide from the intruder.

Demon turned to the door. "Yes?" He asked moving carefully to the door.

"Hey, uh... it's me," Hinoka stated with a bit of confidence in her tone. "Could I come in?"

Demon looked up at his protectors, silently telling them to quickly make way towards the outside. "Yeah...hold on." Demon said as he waited for his protectors to make their way outside to the roof of the palace. The moment they were out, he opened the door for Hinoka to come in.

"Thank you," the red haired pegasus rider smiled as she entered the room. "So... we've had plenty to talk the past few days, but not time to actually get to know each other, huh?"

Shocker... but honestly? No we haven't even uttered anything since I was up, you kind of went distant and that was about it.

Demon just gave her a look, seeing he saw that they really didn't talk at all. "…..."

"I want to apologize... for avoiding you lately," the princess continued. "I've been hating myself to do it, but... I just couldn't bring myself to after what I did... I almost killed you..." Hinoka looked frustrated at herself, her guilt weighing heavily on her. "Especially since you were blaming me for it... and you were totally right to."

Demon sighed, moving over to his desk. "…...It's alright, I can imagine you spent all this time hating Nohr and attempting to rescue me..." Demon stated, while knowing that probably wasn't the case anymore in this time line.

"Actually... I did," Hinoka smiled softly. "I don't know what you heard, but... I never stopped looking. Even if my methods changed at one, never once did I stop. I still went into Nohr too, I was just far more careful about it. I didn't want a... repeat of what happened last time I almost got killed in Nohr..." He fingers grazed her stomach.

"How old were you last looked for me?" Demon asked the red headed girl. "Was it when you got that scar?" Demon asked hearing about the scaring on her abdomen.

"No... again, even after that I went into Nohr. I was just more careful. I think the last time was... a half a year ago?" She guessed.

"Yet...for some reason, I feel a little hostility from you..." He confessed.

Hinoka shook her head. "It's something I got over a while ago... all I needed to do was get the courage to apologize to you again."

"But I don't understand why the hostility towards me... I mean I didn't do anything to provoke anything from you, when I got here... Did I offend you? Did I call you some sort of Hoshidan monster or something?" Demon asked Hinoka.

"… Do you want to know the truth?" She asked him, a bit of pain in her eyes. "Damon... that man you knocked across the chasm... he's our brother. And now he's in Nohrian hands..."

"I'm sorry... let me get this straight..." Demon began to laugh a bit. "You are blaming me, for defending myself? After being stabbed multiple times from his venomous blades? After I knew... yes knew, he had no intentions of capturing me, but killing me?" Demon asked Hiinoka, looking down at her.

The princess sighed, knowing this would likely be the case. "Look... I've known this was pointless. Me taking the loss of a family member on someone completely undeserving. And for that, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, for someone who has been gone his whole life, equals someone who was just recently captured... That kind of tips the balance... shouldn't it?" Demon asked her. "I mean, Noka come on...I just come back and I'm like an outcast in your eyes? The very person you spent your whole life trying to get back, and you decide to switch me out for someone else?" Demon asked Hinoka.

"I said I was sorry, okay?!" The princess snapped, tears in her eyes. "I know that it was wrong to blame you! I know I shouldn't have done what I did! But seeing that just... It brought back too many painful memories... I don't want to lose anymore family..."

"…. Yeah, well... I needed you for the week I was here, but everyone was practically avoiding me while I was semi-dying of an infection..." He huffed feeling abandoned.

Tears of shame started to crawl down the Pegasus Knight's face. "Damon..."

"My own mother didn't even take the time to come up here when I could've been dead just to see me off, she waited till ass end of the night to just even pay me a scrounge of attention." Demon continued.

Hinoka wanted to explain but didn't want to offend him further. "Little bro..."

"I mean the only person that's been in here for me was literally the same woman that lured me across the bridge only to be ambushed and nearly killed... that's what I call Irony..." He complained.

Hinoka felt a dagger go through her heart. "Oh... so us checking in on you when we knew you were well enough... that was nothing then?"

"Define your checking in? How about asking me questions of if I was under some kind of Nohrian Spell...or better yet If I was aware that I knew everything." Demon said to her.

Her hands slammed into the ground. "Because we were worried about you! Because we didn't know what you did or didn't know! What the hell is wrong with being worried about our family?!"

"Ok...how about treating me like an actual part of a family, rather being cooped up here and under guard..."

Um... just poking my nose in here, you literally just had dinner with them. And they were worried about the fact you might be killed in your room.

The Palace grounds I'm talking about...

Then say that! Don't just leave shit up to misinterpretation! Or did you forget what happened with Selena a few days ago? How well that worked out for us? Or how about the fact that Hinoka and Ryoma were with you when you were hurt and woke up? Or how mom was busy dealing with the fact one of her FUCKING CHILDREN was LITERALLY just taken?!

They were...for like an hour and gone the next, at least Hinoka could've stayed behind, Gods she had this insane crush on me, and wanted to be close to me, but now? She's, I don't know who she is... She fell in love with Damon.

Oh gods are you dense... she still does you fucking idiot! Why else would she be here now?! And don't you give me this 'I'm Demon' bullshit again, you are Damon! You have an excuse!

I don't know how about the fact that She avoided me? Blamed me for defending myself and knocking that Shad Yahoo guy over the abyss, or wait here's a a better one, why is Takumi being all buddy, buddy?'

… are you for fucking real right now? She literally just apologized for it! Owned up to the fact she was wrong!

I refuse to believe that she would apologize for something that quickly... for a week of avoiding... Don't tell me she became the Takumi of the family...

… You know what? Fuck this. If you want to drive yet another lover away, be my fucking guest. If you don't want to pull your head out of your ass and see things from their point of view instead of bitching and moaning and playing victim, go ahead. But this is how things were supposed to be, in case you forgot.

I'm only acting like this because I'm taking your page out of your desolate and decrypted book, something is telling all parts of me that this is wrong...

Wrong to you! Because this didn't happen! And don't you dare say if Xander or Leo went missing, you wouldn't be acting the same damn way!

True to your word, but tell me...why are all my Nohrian counterparts the exact fucking same, and over here, it got warped?

Because someone else was here! Shad was here! He became as much family to them as you are!

My point in case...Scarlet fell in love, Hinoka was brutalized and scarred, Takumi is a... I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH HIM! Sakura is this quiet flower, and Ryoma is more reserved.

… Question. Wasn't that how your family got when Shad's birthday came around? They lost family! And who's to say it doesn't happen here around your birthday too? YOU weren't here!

How much do you want to bet he's being treated waaaay differently over there then I am over here?

Not a single damn copper. Actually... I'd take you up on that. He's probably despised while these people have tried to help you.

Or father is immediately propping him up, treating him the life of luxury, and he's probably... most likely taken over my territory.

... how far is that stick shoved up your ass?

You can't even argue with it...so you can take your boastful claim and shove it up right where the sun don't shine.

Of course, I can! But clearly, you haven't changed a damn bit despite becoming whole again.

Really? How about the time, when you and flying fuck including all my little friends began to gang up on me when Hinoka and I went for a little stroll and murder some enemies? Boy you two were fucking idiots... oh wait, no you got hijacked and thrown in a cell... So you don't get to bark orders at me.

... You know what? Fuck you and your twisted logic. If you can't handle the changes that are happening or take the advice to help you get through it, then maybe you should have let yourself die with the others. At least then they'd still all be these picture-perfect interpretations of them you make them out to be.

YOU KNOW WHAT, FUCK YOU! PAM SAID YOU WERE THE PATHETIC BULLSHIT COPY CAT OF ME, SO FUCK OFF! I DON'T NEED YOUR ADVICE, I DON'T NEED YOUR PAIN!

Really? Even when I'm not some shattered part of you and an actual part of your mind? You're fighting yourself at this point. Your logic, your memories, your pain.

Just another phantom for me to walk on and bury, so just stay dead...

Can't. I'm not that thing from before. I am literally you, and I'm staying until we both go for a dirt nap. A part you are too afraid to admit is right.

Demon sighed looking at Hinoka. "Besides, Shad is probably safe, and happy at the moment." Demon informed Hinoka.

The princess chuckled. "I'll bet everything, including myself that you're wrong..."

"….including yourself? I'm sorry, you lost me..." He said in a trollish way.

Hinoka gave him a teasing look. "I don't know. What do you think it means, Little Bro?"

"Sounds like you're suggesting something..." He argued.

"Maybe I am..." The princess sighed and embraced him tightly. "Look... I never, EVER, meant to neglect you. But the threat of losing not one, but two brothers? To the same people no less? It... it hurt me. And it only got worse when I realized just who I lashed out at. I couldn't think... I couldn't even look myself in the mirror."

"But we're not family...we're not even related..." Demon said to Hinoka.

Hinoka gave him a confident, passionate look. "Family isn't just blood. It's how you think of and see a person. And in my eyes, you are my family. Just as you are to everyone in this castle. I guarantee it."

"True but I was barely here... for maybe like a few months... All the distant memories I had were Camilla spoon feeding me.." Demon said with a look of embarrassment.

Hinoka kissed his cheek. "Then we'll all be willing to fill in the gaps of when you were here. Remind you just how much you mean to us all... Even if, and I'm ashamed to admit it, we weren't there for you at first."

Demon's heart beat started to become more and more apparent as he looked in to her eyes. His hands moved from his sides to her shoulders, gently gripping them. "Noka..." He said with a glow in his eyes.

The red head smiled at him. "Hehe... you want me to stay the night I'm guessing? I don't need to worry about anything... untoward do I?"

"Well... I was wondering if you'd want to go take a bath...with me..." He said with a shifty eyed look.

The older woman grinned and nodded. "Want me to see if Sakura wants to join too? We could all bond a little."

Wait...what...?

"I'm sorry something crazy just yelled in my ear...can you repeat that?" He asked.

"I could invite Sakura. Hell, the whole rest of the family if you wanted... which I somehow doubt you want," she teased him. "Get a head start on all that bonding you want from us."

Whoa totally going off track...

"Ah.. Right Hoshidan baths are way different than Nohr's... ah the bath I was...thinking of was one where... You don't wear any towels..." Demon said as he felt smaller all of the sudden.

Hinoka gave him a strange look. "Why would we? We're all family."

Riiigggghhtttt still thinks me as a brother...

Wasn't she like that before? And she came to accept it later?

No, she and I almost fucked in the bath, we kissed and I told her of I had no intention of starting a war between Nohr and Hoshido...that didn't go as planned though...

Hm... question. What are the odds of her teasing you about this or being unsure what you think of her still?

On a scale this big? The odds are fifty-fifty

Go along with it for now.

Demon just paused hearing that from her. "….sure..." Demon said with a sigh. "Let me just grab my towel."

Hinoka smiled and hugged him. "Alright. I'll grab a couple of my own and show you the way there if you don't already." The princess ran off to her room, leaving Demon with his thoughts.

If she is tricking me, I'm going to punish her later...

The princess returned in less than a minute. "Alright, you ready Little Bro?" She asked, a few towels slung over her shoulder.

Demon got his towel, moving over to her side. "Yeah..." He stood at least a several inches taller than her. Hinoka lead him to the baths, sliding open the paper door with ease as they entered. "Alright. No peeking, okay?" She said with a teasing smile.

No promises...

They started to disrobe, backs facing each other as their armor and what was underneath dropped to the floor. Demon finished first. "Just throw it all in one of the baskets," Hinoka told him as she finished with her lower armor. "No one will touch it. Well... probably anyway. Unless someone wanted to pull a mean-spirited prank."

"Ha ha..." Demon laughed as he pulled his shirt over his head. As Demon wrapped the towel around his waist he turned around to meet Hinoka. She could see he had new stiches, and two burn marks on his chest, seeing someone cauterized him, the stitches were made out of metallic wiring. But it was nothing compared to the travesty on her stomach. It looked like an animal with a set of four claws had struck her and the wound was then shocked or corrupted greatly, making her otherwise fair skin turn ugly shades of purple and black.

…...That...mother...fucker...

Demon felt a sudden sickness, and anger swell in his head, he moved over to Hinoka, getting on his knees as he hugged her body gently. She was confused for a moment before realizing just what she was showing off. "D-don't worry! It's nowhere near as bad as it looks, I swear," She assured him, rubbing the back of his head. "I actually have to look in the mirror to notice it nowadays."

"What kind of sick...twisted monster...would hurt my Noka?" He asked her, nuzzling his head into her towel.

Her silence was golden as the memory played back in her mind. "… A kid who cared too much... got too scared for my sake..." She sighed and pulled him into the baths. "I know it isn't the best topic to start on... but you deserve to know just how I got this injury and about the person who gave it to me."

"I would never... Ever... in a million years... lash out and hurt you.." He lightly sobbed in to her chest, seeing as he could've lost her already.

A sad smile graced her lips. "In his defense... I struck first. Almost took his eye... It was about twelve years ago. I was searching for you weekly, sometimes daily, when I almost didn't make it back home. A group of Nohrian archers spotted me making my rounds for you and opened fire. The fact I'm here now is a miracle..."

Demon was still holding her body hugging and resting his head against her chest, seeing he still could've lost her, and he had no method in protecting her. "Everyone was worried sick about me. But Shad... he seemed to be beyond that. He outright refused to let me leave at one point, even demanding I prove I could handle it by beating him in a fight. Stupid kid... he had barely started training. All he had were wood weapons. But it was clear to see he was stalling for Ryoma or... anyone to come and stop me themselves. So, I tried to force my way through him. The kid was crafty, but those wood shuriken and daggers weren't even a threat to me, let alone my armor.

"At one point, I did something I'm really... really not proud of. I misjudged what part of my blade I was using and how far away I was from him and I... I cut him. Deep too, that scar is still there today, hardly faded at all. After that he just seemed to... I don't know how to explain it other than he simply snapped. See, he has this birthmark on his right hand. Orochi just got done saying it was cursed and evil and a whole bunch of other things, but it had never shown signs of being anything like that... well, until that fight at least. Everything about him just... changed. He grew claws, his teeth got sharper and there were even these weird tattoos at the corners of his eyes. They looked like another two whole pairs had sprung up. It was those claws that did this." She gestured to her scars. "I have no idea how, but they ripped right through my armor."

Demon immediately remembered on that frozen lake, when he went berserk after losing it from seeing the state of Flora. "…." His silence was deafening, and was now worried about the state of anyone else he might come into contact with.

"That's when I made my... second error. Something that made things even worse in the future. I was so soaked up in trying to find you that I was even willing to kill anyone who got in my way... my little brother included. I lashed out with my naginata and... I almost killed him..." Tears were in her eyes now, her face scrunched up in sadness. "It was after that fight that I promised to focus on training between my searches for you and play them safer... and in all honesty? I don't think I can thank Shad enough for what he did. I reached limits I never thought possible and got so much stronger..."

"….He cut you open..." Demon said in a montone voice.

The princess sighed, knowing it was time to tell the next part of her tale. "Yeah... I know. And what you're thinking now is probably along the lines of the rest of the castle..."

"…..You know, I found it odd how you never asked where I got my scar..." Demon stated, seeing as she never asked, unlike the other Hinoka.

"I did... you pretty much ignored me though..." She muttered.

"When? I was kind of being poked and prodded by you people..." Demon groaned.

"Yesterday. You were so spaced out and quiet though that I thought it was a more personal issue..." Hinoka informed her.

"I meant prior to before that...like when I was off my feet." He explained. "I gave myself this scar, when I broke my sword into tiny little pieces cutting open my face... I made a promise back then I would get stronger, faster, and more aware of my surrondings... I didn't hack up anyone I love." Demon growled.

A pained look overtook Hinoka. "That's... Damon, I get you're mad at him, but please-"

"I got this when I was fucking Eight Hinoka... I blew up my sword, smacking the ground with a force that could parallel with the death of nature." Demon barked.

"Shad didn't mean to," she countered, defending the honor of her other brother.

"He was older than me when he lost control! He was trying to kill you!" He snapped. "Doesn't that tell you that was inexcusable?" Demon asked.

A sad look came over her eyes. "It might have... if he wasn't all but broken after."

"If he cut me open like that I wouldn't hesitate but to cut him open up like that, before my final breath." Demon growled.

"And I did! And let me tell you, I felt all sorts of guilt after seeing how he felt about it after..."

"Guilt...no, he cuts you up like that? You kill him...he, that thing... whatever he became, was a method to kill, and not to maim... That ugly mark is a curse on you." He growled.

"You don't think I know that?! That he didn't?!" Hinoka barked, her memories overwhelming.

"He's only sorry that he didn't kill you..." Demon muttered.

It took everything in her to not slap him. "Take that back! You take that back!" It was clear that there was more to the story by the way she was reacting.

"Why don't you make me... 'big sis'?" He asked standing up ready for the full throttle of her rage.

She seethed and stewed in her own grief and anger. "You know nothing about him... have no right to say what he felt... What he wanted..."

"You don't know a thing about me, yet you're lecturing me on the importance of issues?" He asked.

"Well if you'd let me explain, maybe you could learn how the rest of the damn story goes!"

"I got the gyst of it Noka, he attempts to stop you, you tell him to back off, he draws his weapon, you disarm him, he comes at you again, you draw blood, he attacks you, you realitate... and you almost bleed out... then you stop going out to look for me and train to become stronger so one day you can search for me...? Is that about right?" Demon asked Hinoka.

"… You're missing a big chunk of it."

"Then Explain, because to me, you're suffering under stock Holm syndrome from someone who nearly put you in the ground..." Demon just stopped to think about his stay in Nohr, realizing he was being a bit of a hypocrite on that.

Hinoka took a few breaths to calm down before continuing. "After that, Shad... he wasn't the same. And no, he wasn't trying to gut everyone in the palace. He just... shut down. He wouldn't stop crying about how he almost killed me, how sorry he was... he broke. And even after we made up, things were never the same in the palace. He started wearing gloves to cover up his mark, avoided people... he hated himself for what he did. He actually started to believe it was him that was cursed and not the mark. The servants feared him, the guards were cautious of him... and I can't blame them after what he did either. I really, truly can't. But he even started to distance himself from us too. Threw himself into his books so he could, in his own terms, 'do something that wouldn't kill us.' He picked up battle tactics, alchemy, cooking, anything he thought he could do to make up for what he did."

"He sounds like a ticking time bomb..." Demon huffed out, knowing if something got in his way...or if something triggered a reaction, he would go off.

"I... I can't deny that," Hinoka sighed. "So much stress, so much self-hatred... it does things to people."

"Hinoka...look I understand where you're coming from... and what you're trying to spin...but the fact of the matter was? He attacked you...family...were those claws meant to tickle you or disarm you? The claws you were describing sound sharp, and painful...like the ones that burrow in and tear flesh..." Demon pointed out to her description.

"I know they were, okay?! But he... he hates that he did. He want to deny the fact it ever happened and make up for it at the same time. I know it isn't likely, but... can't you relate to that?"

"Okay so you put off searching for me then... So you could reconcile with Shad?" Demon asked her.

She went silent, and it was clear that while he was wrong, there was guilt in her eyes. "No... I didn't... and that's what I hate most."

"Wait... you just, lost the will to find me? Or you lost interest in reconciling...?" He asked put off from that question.

"Lost interest in reconciling... I threw myself into my training so I could be ready for the next time I went out to find you. And again, it showed. I was stronger than I ever thought I could be."

"I wasn't tortured there you know? They raised me as one of their own, gave me land and title... I was happy there." Demon put her worries to rest about his stay there.

"I'm... glad that you had a good life in Nohr, Damon. I wish nothing but the best for you and all the other members of my family."

"Noka..." Demon started to say as his shoulders felt heavy enough as it was, dealing with the fact that he couldn't tell her anything about their past life together, seeing as an attempt with Selena went up in smokes. She could see a frown be placed on his expression, as he was contemplating.

"Damon... have you ever been called a monster? Or something like that?" Hinoka asked him.

"Too many, but I knew they were lessers... and lessers have no reason." Demon explained in a Nohrian expression of thought.

"It's... all he ever heard from people after... The ones who bothered to speak to him anyway..." Hinoka sighed. "That he was a blight. A monster. A curse on this otherwise peaceful land."

"Hinoka I get it... I really do, okay yeah I feel sorry for him, that action fucked up the views on him... I really do but, I didn't come with you to talk about exchanges of the past..." He said starting to feel bad for the prince even if he wanted to knock his teeth in.

She chuckled lightly. "Right... sorry... I get a little too worked up over these things is all... why don't we focus on the relatively new then? What do you think about Hoshido? About your family?" Hinoka asked him.

"…...I have to go tomorrow..." He said looking away, trying to avert her gaze.

She felt a dagger drive through her heart. "… What?" She asked, not believing her ears."

"Nohr is still marching here with greater Morale knowing I'm in Hoshido's custody... I have to stop their advance, or war will rip apart Hoshido." Demon explained to Hinoka the best he could.

There was no explaining the sadness and disbelief in her heart. "No... please... was it something we did? I swear, we'll make it better!" The red haired princess panicked, her mind rebelling against her.

"…...Hinoka, if I don't go stop them... They will burn their way to the capital... and kill anyone in their way." Demon said to her trying not to see the pained expression in her eyes.

Tears started to fall from her eyes and she clung onto him. "Please... don't leave us again... don't leave me again... I don't know if I can take much more..."

Demon turned over to face her, tilting her chin up. "What do you want me to do? Hmmm? Sit here waiting for my Nohrian family to march in here burn the capital down and go home? They won't stop... they'll conquer all of Hoshido... I won't fight either of you... I can't. I've known them all my life..." He said to her trying to make her understand.

She sniffled and lunged at him, forcing him into a kiss. "O... okay..." Hinoka sighed as they parted. "If this is what you need to do... then I'll support you."

Demon had a horrified look on his face, seeing as this was absolutely painful to the man. "….Thank you..." Demon quickly stood out of the bath, and grabbed his clothing from the hamper. "I'm sorry..." He groaned out seeing it was too much.

"I... I understand," Hinoka bowed her head, afraid she did something wrong. "I'll... I'll help you tomorrow morning then. Distract the guards or something so you can slip out."

No... I can't ask you to do that...

Demon nodded as he made way to his room, using his mana he quickly redressed and got his armor on. "Beruka...Selena.." Demon summoned, as he locked the door.

"Yeah, Damon?" The red haired woman asked, her tone more friendly now that she had cooled off.

"Get your stuff we're leaving." Demon said in a dead, hollowed tone. Before either could ask, the castle shook violently and a wave of pure magic and malice washed over them. Demon got goose bumps from that wave. Whatever caused it was powerful. "Double time..." Demon ordered grabbing his equipment clipping it around his waist followed by putting his turncoat and putting his sword around his waist. Selena gave him a meek nod, her face pale as she started to pack up.

"It-it can't be..." She muttered under her breath, picking up her packed bag. "It's dead. I watched it die myself..."

"Selena, later..." Demon said moving over to the window.

Just concentrate... We'll just head west to the pass, and stop at that...

Demon remembered that scene all too well knowing he was... inept at solving the problem beforehand. "Hope you girls like heights..." Demon said as he felt a pull in his veins, trying to concentrate. He grabbed a hold of both of them and leapt from the window, sliding down the roof with them in his arms before landing outside the castle walls.

"As fun as that was... let's not do it again," Beruka shivered as she was placed back on the ground.

Demon nodded as the three quickly made their way to the Western plains.

---

The next day, around noon...

Demon was standing at the bridge waiting for the Nohrian vanguard to rush in, his eyes continued to stare at the western horizon. His ears picked up the steady beat of running feet, leather boots to be more precise. "This can't happen..." A familiar voice growled, getting closer by the second. "I won't let it!" A figure landed on the bridge, tome in hand as he started to cast a spell. He was in a black hooded coat with navy blue accents, dressed in light Nohrian armor... but that face was one Demon could never forget. "Arcfire!" Shad shouted, bombarding the bridge with a wall of flame.

"Oh Fuck..." Demon threw up a barrier seeing how Beruka and Selena was still on the other side.

Shad was initially confused seeing his spell pitter out. "What the-" he turned around and saw his brother. "Damon?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

The ground began to shake behind Shad as hundreds of thousands of Nohrian soldiers began to descend from behind. Camilla's wyvern flew overhead, looking over the field. Demon grabbed both Selena and Beruka throwing them on the other side of the bridge trying to get distance from it. Xander who was leading the charge immediately stopped on his horse to see Demon moving on to the very end of the bridge in his full suit of armor, minus his helmet. "Halt!" The Crown prince shouted, his troops stopping dead. "Damon... so Beruka was correct." A large smile painted his face. "You're alive..."

Camilla quickly descended to the ground with the Wyvern giving off a screech seeing Damon. Elise and Leo stopped on their horses too, identical smiles on their faces. "Big brother!" Elise cheered, leaping into his arms from her horse.

Demon felt her jump on him causing him to spin a bit, while Camilla hugging him quickly kissing him on the cheek. "My sweet Prince..." She cried in to his armor, before grabbing both Beruka and Selena hugging the two and then kissing each of them on the forehead. "What did I say? The devil's luck is with you Damon..." Leo smirked patting him on the back. "I'm glad to see you guys..." Demon said with a pained expression seeing as he had to quickly forget about the original plan. Demon's eyes immediately darted to Shad, it was like he had fire in his eyes, but quickly doused as his face got turned to meet Camilla's. "Please tell me you didn't go too overboard?" Demon asked Camilla.

"Overboard on what, my sweet prince?" She asked innocently, not letting him go.

"Nothing..." He groaned feeling his head being placed against her chest, with her rubbing his scalp. Xander quickly got off his horse and dropped his helmet to see Demon was alright, after that scene above that bottomless pit.

"It was speculated and Beruka confirmed it... but I still can't believe it..." Xander scooped his entire family into an embrace. "You're alive... you're truly alive, little prince..."

I ain't little!

"You know I hate bearing the title 'little' prince... that died out when I hit six foot seven..." He complained.

"Big brother!"

"Oof!" Sakura and then Shad's voice sounded out behind him, along with enough clanking of Hoshidan armor for him to wager their entire army had come.

"You're okay..." Sakura sobbed into Shad's coat, clutching onto the fabric.

"E-easy, little sis..." Shad chuckled, putting on a brave face despite his own inner conflict. The other prince was immediately pulled into a hug from Ryoma and Hinoka.

"You're alive..." The Pegasus rider laughed lightly. "You're back... I swear to gods, neither you or Damon are leaving my sight again, you hear me?!"

"You've been missed, young prince," Ryoma smiled at his younger brother. Shad's heart welled up with joy, guilt and fear at their affection. "Hey, Shad!" Takumi clasped his shoulder with a smile. "You had us all worried, you bastard."

Incoming conflict...

"And just what do you think you're doing with our brother?" Xander growled, releasing Demon and getting back on his horse, Siegfried in his hand.

"I could ask the same thing," Ryoma spat, releasing Shad and drawing Raijunto.

Demon immediately remembered the blade... not just his blade but the blade...the Yato Blade.

This is why you don't rush things! Now what are we going to do?!

Demon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hey! Stop with the fighting for a quick second!" Demon snapped at the two Crowned Princes.

"Just who do you think you're touching?" Hinoka asked Camilla with venom in her voice.

"I could ask the same thing, harlot..." The Nohrian princess seethed.

"Guys hey knock it off...for just a quick second." Demon requested.

"Hands off my little brother!" Takumi roared, drawing Fujin Yumi back.

"You first, pineapple head!" Leo bit back, opening Brynhildr.

Demon was twitching while the armies were positioning themselves on both sides of the river. "Guys, would you just... Please stop bickering...and fighting for one second?!" Demon asked with his voice falling on deaf ears.

"They're my big brothers!" Elise shouted.

"They were mine first!" Sakura yelled back.

Demon clenched his fists as he stuck his blade in the ground. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" Both Shad and Demon shouted before being consumed in blinding purple and red lights.

The two warriors immediately exploded with energy, transforming their bodies into what looked to be for Shad, a smaller version of the Fell Dragon Grima, while Demon transformed in to a menacing Black dragon with red eyes, and wings that spread out causing the field of battle to darken. "ENOUGH!" The voice roared with intensity causing everyone to immediately stop.

"WILL YOU ALL STOP FIGHTING FOR FIVE MINUTES AND LISTEN?!" Shad roared in turn, forcing lesser men to their knees and squashing the rebellion out of those that remained. The two Dragons immediately stopped looking at the bridge and finally recognized that they weren't the only skyscraper sized beasts. "You... you're like me?!" Shad asked incredulously.

"You have no arms...you're a Wyvern... and I HATE Wyverns..."

"Actually, I'm more of a Wyrm... Arms, but no legs," Shad clarified.

"Nice four wings, what too agile for two?" Demon said with a slight huff.

Shad sighed, causing a bit of nearby grass to wilt. "As much as I would absolutely love to keep bickering with my own brother, didn't we do this to stop our families from doing the same thing?"

"Aye we did...but then my Dragon side reminded me what you tried to do to my mate... I owe you for that..." He made out an almost rabid growl.

Shad returned in kind, curdling the blood of even the hardiest soldiers. "Then come at me, whelp."

"Hope those four wings are good for something..." He snapped as his towering form with his two clawed hands gripped the Fell Dragon, the flap of the wing shot him up in the air throwing him up in the air and throwing the Fell Dragon away from him to gain distance. "Now... I'm going to yank two of your wings off your little snake body..." He growled.

"Go ahead and try..." The Fell Dragon growled, a miasma of darkness dripping from his maw. That is, until his rational thought took over again. "No... they're waiting for us down there. Whatever resentment you have against me can wait."

"As much as I want to wring your neck... I am obligated to agree with the situation..." Demon growled as the two beasts descended down. Shad whipped out his tome and raised his hand.

"Amnesia!" There was a flash of light, and everyone was stunned outside the two princes. "Somehow, I think it best they don't know about this... altercation. If what she said was right, we have ten seconds before they come to. I suggest we take our places."

Demon sighed as he went back to his Human form, drawing his blade. "Better make this realistic then..." Demon said as Shad moved over to the bridge as both parties began to unfreeze from whatever stasis they were under after the amnesia hit them. Demon clashed his blade against Shad's, causing the sole of his boots to skid, from the slam.

"You're strong... but why are you attacking me?!" He asked with convincing panic and confusion.

"I owe you for that fucking venom!" Demon growled as he kicked him over to the Hoshidan line.

Shad coughed up a bit of spittle and blood. "Yeah... I'll own up to that... I deserved that... and for what it's worth, I'm sorry. But you know it wouldn't have killed you, right?"

"No, no, but after being ran through with a naginata and hit with a rain of arrows? It just caused infections, blisters , and boils... I would've died from that..." He growled swinging his blade.

Shad nodded. "Might need to change the formula the-"

"Damon, Shad we can settle this once we get back home!" Hinoka shouted at them, attempting to pull Shad to them. To everyone's shock, the former ninja broke away and rushed to the center of the bridge with Demon.

"You put my family in Nohr in Panic! My children, you think I was going to forgive you for that torment? You probably took my castle, didn't you?!" He growled pointing his blade at his brother's side.

Shad looked legitimately confused. "I... honestly have no clue what you're talking about. But can it please wait until our families aren't about to rip each other's throats out!" The black haired prince shoved the blade away.

"No here's what I'm going to do... " Demon's blade began to glow red. "I'm going to run my blade right through your chest..." He growled.

"Damon, stop!" Camilla shouted, stopping him dead. "He's our brother."

"Blood spilling own blood, Ironic, you just choose his side... all of a sudden... what did you unleash some sort of Hex on them?" Demon asked taking a step back looking at the bridge supports, looking for a place to break it.

Shad chuckled as he gripped the blade, the heat not phasing him as he pushed it away. "Why does that sound familiar?" He jumped back, spotting just where to hit as he landed closer to his Hoshidan family.

"You're all supposed to be on my side! Not this Assassin!" Demon snapped at his Nohrian family, readying his blade as an aura was glowing around it.

"We're on both your sides!" Elise shouted to him, tears in her eyes. "You're both our brothers!"

"Unacceptable... I'll ...Destroy this miserable excuse for an assassin..." Demon swung his blade down causing the bridge to tremor and crack.

Shad's tome snapped open, a wind spell ready. "Try it if you can!" He sent out two shock waves, hitting supports instead of Demon by 'accident.' The bridge let out a sickening crack and fell through, both princes falling into the fast-moving river below.

"DAMON! SHAD!" Both noble parties shouted as their brothers were swept away.

---

Aaaaaaand cut!

That's a wrap!

And an end to the first chapter of the FEF Redux! Again, my deepest apologies about the last one.

It was our bad, of not creating a back up file on one-drive...

Or Google Drive in my case. But, no matter. Upon wondering what to do for a Redux, we finally decided to remix the story a fair bit.

So a majority of the FE:A cast are mixed with the FE:F universe.

Well... the ones listed. As it was said, a lot of them died. But who knows, a few may still linger in the Outrealms... Hint hint. Also, as much as it pains me to say it, we're dropping the choice options. Too many complications and kept the delay between starting chapters too ridiculous in my opinion. However, we are still open to ideas from you lot... well, starting next chapter. You'll see why, but we need to establish a basis on one character in particular; Shad. The ninja who just came close to killing Damon and has some slight... instability. Also, I already know what you're all going to whine about. We didn't do everything from the first couple chapters. Save it, if we didn't say otherwise it stayed the same. Meaning his meeting with Azura, talks with Mikoto after he got better, ect.

There are also problems with Demon's attempts to reconcile with his long-lost love interests... seeing as none are like he remembers... Selena being prime example.

Yeah, your input is going to be especially valuable regarding her next chapter. Again, you'll need to wait and see why. Anything else to add, Starknight?

Worry not Demon's mindset will restore as he gets his affairs in order, meaning he's going to be aggressive how he gets his job done... hoping to avoid another tragedy, he'll have to act fast.

Having an implied tactician, amongst other things, will help with that immensly. It helps that he just so happens to be Grima. In fact, I have a challenge for you all. If any of you can guess why he can turn into Grima, the Fell Dragon himself correctly, we'll do any one request from you... assuming we're comfortable with it, that is. We're writers, not masochists. And that... pretty much covers it I think. Unless Starknight wants to put in restrictions on that request, I think we're done here. Starknight?

Yes as you can see... voting for the earlier unspoken chapter... with a tie? I should've just chose myself the outcome of that chapter, rather than tried to do both, it was hard... for both of us.

Yeah, I'm with you there. Anyway, we'll announce the winner and restrictions on that request in the next chapter.

So if you're a guest, please give yourself a name, so we can properly thank said un named guest... Happy reading.

-Starknight'Renegade

-Thank you

-Hope you enjoyed-

-LyokoDragon15-