So, this probably isn't what anyone's expecting from me at this point, but my beta, Knight, decided to hold a themed one-shot writing... I don't even know what to call it. A one-shot writing fiasco? Anyways, I, among others, were tasked with pumping out a Halloween themed one-shot for a franchise of our choosing. Seeing as I'd done most of my writing for RWBY, I figured it was time to spread my love to another series I totally and irrevocably hate- I mean love!
That being said, if there's anyone here who's currently reading my RWBY stories, I apologize for the massive gap between chapters - JaFP is like three months behind at this point (WTF!?). I'm working on pounding out an update for one of my stories right now, but I've essentially abandoned any semblance of rotation with regards to my schedule - a result of me not having a clue what I'm doing.
Speaking of not knowing what I'm doing, in the not-so-famous words of Reggie Fils-Aime, "I'm talking about Fire Emblem". I've loved the series since I first got Sacred Stones years ago, and I figured I'd give it some love here as well. This is a bit of an AU I came up with, which may or may not be original as I don't really read any FE Fanfiction (or rather, I haven't in forever). If it isn't obvious in the reading, Corrin and Kamui are twins - M!Corrin is Corrin, while F!Corrin is Kamui. I'd have loved to explore this in a full-blown story, but I can barely handle the three I've got on the go right now.
With all that said, I'll stop boring you with non-sense. Read, let me know what you think, and perhaps there will be more of this in the future.
'Till Later!
~Mya
Beta: Knight of Cerberus
"I don't want to know what Elise did to Niles."
Blinking red eyes open, the prince stared at the ceiling and let out a sigh, sinking back into the firm mattress beneath him. It was almost instinct for him – he had the feeling the moment he woke up:
She was going to be here today, wasn't she?
"Lord Corrin!"
Dragging in another breath through his nostrils, Corrin cursed, pulling his blankets tight around him. Please, anything for him to pass out and not have to deal with this!
"Lord Corrin!" Felicia flung herself through the door to his private room. Though he could only hear the frantic panting of the maid, he pictured it in his head perfectly – her panicked expression, the way the rug crept up her foot... three, two, one...
"Whoa!" A grand crash and the sound of wood splintering as Felicia threw her body through a table, likely dragging the rug with her. Corrin cracked his eye open, wincing at his accurate assumption of the damage. The clumsy girl dragged herself up to her feet and dusted herself off, before dashing over to his bedside as he feigned sleep once again.
Already a wonderful start to his day. Just great.
"My lord! Please wake up! There's a Hoshidan delegation at the gates. Kamui is here!"
He knew it...
"You have a piece of wood in your hair..." He mumbled, burying his face in his pillow. The moment he felt the telltale chill of Felicia's hand nearing his neck, he cringed, arm flailing to push her's away. "I'm up! I'm up!"
The maid giggled, the chill fading away. "Your clothes are hanging up. I'll be outside. Though, you should hurry. Your other siblings are getting restless. Well, for the most part it's-"
"Camilla?"
"...Lady Camilla, yes."
Corrin snorted, pushing himself into a sitting position. Couldn't his siblings – all his siblings – get along for once? Sure, being on either side of the biggest war in recent history would put a rift between even the closest of family.
And it certainly did...
"My lord?"
"Yes, I'll... I'll be right out."
"Okay!" Felicia started out cheerfully, turning to leave. As she did, she somehow managed to pinch the rug between her heel and her toe, tripping herself up. She flung an arm out, and for a moment, Corrin thought she'd managed to catch herself this time, using a bookshelf for support.
The shelf she'd grabbed snapped, the girl smacking her chin on a lower one. Books spilled out of the shelves, battering the maid as she fell to the floor, striking it with a thud.
"F-Felicia? Are you okay?"
A shaky thumbs-up was all the young prince got back in response, and he shoved his face into his hands, groaning tiredly.
This wasn't just going to be a bad day. This was going to be a nightmare.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Corrin followed the cobblestone path lined with the many buildings that had been brought up by manipulating the draconic blood within him. When Lilith had shown him this realm the first time – and informed him his sister had a similar plane – he'd been in sheer awe. Manipulating the energy that ran through the ground beneath him had been a painstaking practice, but looking over the flourishing castle town he only felt pride.
Walking along, the Nohrian prince spotted a few familiar heads ducking in and out of buildings, as well as a few that were unfamiliar. Though not everyone understood how the scattered astral planes functioned, there were more than a few visitors from other, similar planes not unlike his. They'd stop and chat and share their tales, and found they all held a striking resemblance to his own strife. Whatever the magic behind it, it boggled the mind. Dragons held so much power.
As Corrin approached the wall, he was reminded of his waking nightmare. The troops were amassed before him, running drills, and atop the wall stood two men – his brothers. Climbing the steps, the young prince was startled by the screech of a dragon. He turned, Camilla atop her mount, perched atop a tower. His older sister smiled at him, before turning her gaze outwards.
As he crested the wall, he looked over the bounding plains beyond his castle. There were more than a couple pegasi in the sky, circling, climbing, and diving, as well as a small mass of foot soldiers, Hoshidan banners on display.
"What's going on?" While it wasn't the only question he had to ask as he stood beside Xander and Leo, it was arguably the more important one. His older brother's plate clinked as he turned where he stood, clearing his throat.
"Your sister is here." Corrin took note of the phrasing, and hummed in thought. A moment passed, and he responded bluntly:
"Not too long ago, it would have been 'our' sister."
Both of his brothers shuffled uncomfortably. The pale-haired prince leaned on the rampart, peering out towards the Hoshidan host. He was easily able to pick out his twin, just by the difference in hair color between her and the rest of her accompaniment. Though they weren't close enough their eyes could truly meet, he could tell she noticed him.
His twin sister brought her arms up, and waved both excitedly, before cupping her hands around her mouth and shouting.
"Cooorriiiiin!"
All the other questions the Nohrian prince had lined up to ask of his brothers faded from his mind as they were replaced by another thought. He looked from Leo, to Xander, then back to his younger brother.
"...What's she wearing?"
"We believe it's a witch's outfit." Leo noted, arms crossed. He coughed. "Though, I personally think a witch would be wearing less revealing clothing than that."
The gears in the prince's mind clicked and whirred, blinking.
"Today is-"
"It is." Xander confirmed.
"And she thinks-"
"She does..." Leo sighed.
"Is she a lunatic?" Corrin gaffed, looking out over the Hoshidan 'delegation'. It wasn't just her; it was the rest of the Hoshidan royal family – the brothers and sisters that were also his blood – as well as a few others he remembered from his short stay in the nation of his birth. Running a hand through his locks, he chuckled, voice dropping to a whisper. "She's not going to leave..."
"What was that?"
"Xander, Leo..." Corrin started, stepping back from the edge of the wall and turning to his brothers. "There's only one course of action here. Only one thing we can do."
"Brother, you aren't suggesting what I think you're suggesting...?"
"We're going to show these Hoshidans a festival they'll never forget. Pull out all the stops." Corrin turned, blinking as his eyes settled on the quiet, bear of a man nearby – perfect. "Benny! Get Laslow and Odin to gather whomever and whatever they need, and put them in charge of turning the prison into a haunted house – the cells are empty anyways, nothing for the Hoshidans to see in there, though they might think it a trap..."
The quiet knight nodded, turned, and lumbered down the stairs.
"You can't be serious..." Xander attempted to hide a smile behind his gauntleted hand, but Corrin certainly caught it, smiling himself.
"I don't like where this is going."
"Leo!" Corrin turned to his younger brother, stepping forward and putting his hands on his shoulders. What could Leo do...? "Want to help in the kitchens? It'll be a lot of baking, though. Really intense work, I'm not sure you'd be able to handle it."
The scholarly younger brother shrugged Corrin's grip off, clasped his hands behind his back, and stood proudly. "I'm sure I'll be up to the task. Leave it to me."
"Good man." Corrin reached back up and patted his younger brother on the shoulder. "Peri and Charlotte will be helping you."
"Wh-what?" His brother's expression made it hard to not crack a smile, but Corrin endured it, face steeled in a look of serious concentration. Leo looked absolutely appalled, but there were reasons for his choices – same with Laslow and Odin. "Why those two?"
"Peri's one of our best chefs." Xander declared, nodding along. "Not even the people we would be able to hire for such a task on short notice would be able to keep up with her. And the lunch Charlotte made for me the other day was... well, she's certainly devoted."
Corrin and Leo both turned to their older brother. "Charlotte made you lunch?"
The crown prince of Nohr nodded along, looking away and coughing softly. "It was... delectable, if not a little over the top."
Shaking his head softly, Corrin nodded to Leo. "Make sure to let Charlotte know exactly who we'll be feeding. As in..." He counted, using all his fingers. "Ten- no, eleven princes and princesses, as well as whatever other lords and ladies we'll have around."
"Oh. That makes sense. I couldn't have come up with a better plan myself." Leo mused, turning away to make his way down from their perch. "I'll get right on it."
"Get it done. It'll probably be the biggest part of the night." Corrin called out after his brother, blinking. "Oh, and good luck!" Whether or not Leo heard him, he felt the blood drain from his face. Realizing they all still had a big problem on their hands, the prince took a shaky step forward along the wall, casting his older brother a look over his shoulder. "Xander, wait here a moment?"
The man who would one day be king of Nohr laid both hands over the hilt of his sword, and nodded, seeming content to leave him in control of this situation. Even an idiot would know why.
Camilla's dragon mount let out a guttural growl, and his older sister atop it hushed the beast, jerking on its reins softly. "Hush girl. That pegasus looks like quite the treat, I know. And so does the rider atop it. We'll take flight soon, you and I..."
"Camilla..." Corrin started, unsure how to approach his older sister in this situation. But when the purple-haired girl became aware of his presence, the terrifying, feral expression she seemed to have donned faded away, and back was the doting, sisterly aura she had.
"Ah, there's my cute little brother! When are we attacking? Give the order, and I'll let the sparks fly."
"We're not attacking them, Camilla." Corrin stated plainly, his older sister looking confused. "What I need you to do is get down from there and go find Elise." The boy hadn't seen her around, she was here somewhere. "I need the two of you and your retainers on costume duty."
"Costume duty?"
"Yes, costume duty."
"As in-"
"Yes." Corrin quickly confirmed.
"I'll do it because it's you asking," Camilla flipped her hair over her shoulder, "but what do I have to gain from this?"
He looked out over the rampart – out at their Hoshidan visitors – and found he already had his answer, Hinoka's pegasus landing next to the rest of his other siblings.
"The Hoshidan royalty have no costumes." Not the best planning on Kamui's part, really. "That means you can get whatever you like for them."
Camilla's eyes sparkled like a clear night sky, and she tugged on her mount's reins. "Done." The single word was punctuated with the flap of great, leathery wings, Camilla's mount diving and then twisting and turning around, flying back towards the castle. As Corrin let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding for that last moment, his eldest sibling came to stand beside him.
"I'm assuming you have something for me to do as well?" His older brother asked softly, tilting his head.
"Something for us to do." The young prince closed his eyes and drew a deep breath through his nose. He cracked his eyes open, straightened his posture, and gave Xander his best smile.
"We have a Hoshidan delegation to welcome."
Corrin continued to hold the winning smile he'd given Xander earlier, even as he walked astride his brother's horse. As the distance between himself their soon-to-be guests shortened, his face twitched occasionally, smile faltering for moments at a time.
The pale-haired prince glanced up at his brother. Perfect posture and a schooled expression, back straight as he rode towards people who were his sworn enemies – including Corrin's own twin sister. Truly a paragon commander, Xander, and as strong a rock as any to lean on for support.
"Is this truly wise?"
The question didn't catch the younger of the two princes off guard at all, continuing to put one foot in front of the other. "Probably not, no."
"What about father? Frankly, no matter the state he's in mentally, I don't think he'd approve of inviting our enemies into our home for a day of feasting and festivities."
"He wouldn't."
"Then-"
"They're not truly our enemies." Corrin bit back, smile fading completely. "Or at least, not mine."
That one day, on that fateful battlefield... The day he went home to Nohr, and his twin returned to be with their blood in Hoshido. They both had their reasons. They'd both clearly seen the cruelty of King Garon; Corrin himself saw it from a distance, collapsing to his knees alongside his youngest sister as she cried out – he'd seen it in Ryoma's rage as he fought against the shade who'd orchestrated the attack, seething when he was wounded, and forced to retreat.
Kamui, on the other hand, had seen it up close: in the wretched, pained expression of their dying mother – the shards of the blade she had once wielded embedded in her back. He knew her anguish. He'd felt it when she'd roared as a dragon.
They'd both changed that day. The divine blade at his side reminded him of that. Reminded him of who he was really fighting for.
Any time he tried to remember the taste of the food, it was as if his mouth filled with ash. The laughing and singing warped into a sharp scream that cut off a moment later.
On the day he and his sister had been welcomed into the country of their birth for a day of feasting and festivities, their family lost everything.
He shook the thought, eyes slowly rising to meet those of Kamui. It was as if she was a reflection of him, eyes pained. She gave him a soft smile he felt compelled to return, the girl tipping her wide-brimmed witch's hat.
What surprised Corrin the most, however, were the others: Takumi's eyes were softer, Ryoma's gaze less piercing, yet still resolute. Hinoka's shoulders were tense, but a reassuring squeeze of her hand – courtesy of Sakura – relaxed her. Azura stood there, the only one seemingly unchanged, before the grateful nod she gave him forced him to retract the mental accusation.
"Kamui." He greeted first. "Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, Sakura... Azura..." He looked out over those behind them – the retainers he'd never met. He saw Kaze towards the back, knowing the only reason he saw the man was because he wished to be seen. Rinkah was there too.
"Corrin." Kamui acknowledged softly – much different from her shouted greetings when he'd been atop the walls. Her eyes pointed up and to his right. "Xander. Where... are the others?"
"They're inside, preparing." Corrin stated. There was tension in the air that wouldn't be out of place on a battlefield, yet it was nowhere near as intense as the stifling pressure of the battle on the plains. The young prince wasn't sure if they would have been better off had the rest of his siblings accompanied them or not.
"Preparing?" The question was posed by Takumi, the younger of the Hoshidan princes crossing his arms in front of his chest, skeptical. Before Corrin could reply, his twin giggled.
"So you do still have some festive spirit in you, hey?" The girl's faint blonde locks bounced as she twirled, showing off her costume. "I knew you wouldn't dare refuse. After all, this is your favorite holiday, right?"
That prompted a questioning gaze from everyone before Corrin, though it wasn't aimed at him – all eyes were on his twin sister, the girl's red eyes beaming a grin at him.
"A holiday?" Ryoma wondered aloud.
Kamui took a step forwards, closing the distance between them. The mock-witch then turned towards the Hoshidans who accompanied her, spread her arms wide, and shouted.
"It's the harvest festival!"
The elder Hoshidan prince's eyes widened – the motion mirrored by the rest of his siblings a moment later, Takumi and Hinoka looking to each other. "Gods..." Ryoma brought a hand to his head. "Is it really that time already?"
"Well, yeah!" Kamui confirmed, putting her hands on her hips. "Why did you think I was dressing up?"
Sakura – the one of the Hoshidan siblings Corrin had thought would be too shy to speak – cleared her throat quietly. "W-we don't dress up in costumes for the Hoshidan harvest festival..."
The Nohrian twin blinked quickly, taking a step forward. It was now or never.
"Then why not see what a Nohrian festival is like?"
Kamui clapped along happily – she'd always been the more energetic one. "Exactly!" She spun on her heel, walking over to stand directly in front of him. It was the closest they'd been to each other since they'd separated months ago. "You realized this, yeah?"
It was like unspoken words passed between them. There was more to it than her just asking him whether he knew why she'd brought the Hoshidans here, more than her just wanting them to experience a Nohrian festival. For some reason, Corrin knew her thoughts on the matter were similar to his own.
They owed it to their family. Both families.
Looking out among the rest of the Hoshidan host, Corrin steeled his expression. His eyes roved over the Hoshidan royalty and retainers, eyes settling on Ryoma.
"I, as a prince of Nohr, propose a temporary truce between Nohr and Hoshido – at the very least, a cease to hostilities between our armies until you return home." Corrin declared.
Xander shuffled up on his horse, armor clattering.
"As crown prince of Nohr, I also extend the same."
Corrin looked to Kamui, who nodded to Ryoma. The man looked among his siblings, before looking up to Xander.
"As high prince of Hoshido, I accept." The samurai agreed. "We wouldn't have been here if we didn't think such a thing possible..."
The Nohrian twin let out a sigh – only to have it cut off as his breath was forced out of him by a stiff hug from his sister. Kamui's witch hat filled his vision, chin tucked against his shoulder as she squeezed.
"Thank you."
Corrin's lips curled upwards as he patted his sister on the back. They embraced a moment longer, before his sister stepped back, attempting to hide the way she wiped her eyes dry. She smiled widely.
"Well?" She breathed out. That was all she needed to say to him, as he stepped out beside her, his twin turning to face the Hoshidans alongside him.
He opened his mouth to speak, but as did his sister. When her voice began to come out, so did his, and he stopped. She went quiet as well, and they looked to each other, eyes meeting.
"Go ahead." He nodded.
"No, it's fine. You go ahead."
"You were going to say something though."
"So were you."
Corrin heard a sigh from behind them, Xander speaking up softly. "Even months apart, you both still manage to do this without fail, don't you?"
Both of them turned to their older brother, and growled in sync. The older Nohrian prince blinked in response, and they both turned once again to address the Hoshidans before them. Corrin felt Kamui nudge him in the side, and he straightened out and smiled. The words rumbled in his chest, and he opened his mouth, shouting.
"Happy Halloween!"
"You know, that actually suits you, brother. I have... no idea what my costume is supposed to be."
Corrin smiled to himself as he stood a short distance from one of the temporary changing rooms that had been set up, resting his head against a pillar. He looked around, the sun dipping just behind one of the castle's walls. They were well into the afternoon now, himself and Xander having needed to handle a multitude of matters with the Hoshidans, as well as numerous other tasks while everything slowly began to work out.
Kamui had brought all sorts of things from across the border, including but not limited to entire wagons full of Hoshidan sweets and a variety of food stuffs, paper lanterns, assorted furniture, and a large, mysterious box - of which the contents were not discussed. Xander had been as skeptical of that as the Hoshidans had been of being led into the castle.
Which was surprising in that neither party seemed to care. It was baffling how lenient both sides had been with regards to... well, literally everything. Though, that could have also been the confidence that each side would come out on top of any sort of conflict.
In regards to him being escort for the two Hoshidan princes, it was likely that piercing gaze he felt whenever he turned his head in the direction of the changing stall. Made him shiver, but he could never spot the source.
Damn ninjas.
"I think that's where your head goes, Takumi."
"Is it?" The younger Hoshidan prince questioned, voice muffled by the thick curtain. "I can't tell with all this fabric..."
"Big brother!"
Blinking, Corrin turned to look down the walkway, grinning as he saw the outfit Elise was done up in. She posed with a flutter of her brilliant red coat, tipping a feathered tricorn of the same color atop her head. Rather than leaving her hair done up in her typical pair of twintails, it was pulled back into a high ponytail that jutted out just below her hat.
For some reason, she was wearing Niles' eyepatch. Poor guy probably didn't even stand a chance.
"Elise!" The prince smiled, walking over. "Looking sharp. You're a...?"
"I'm a- wait..." The girl closed her eye, took a breath, and opened her eye again, gaze intense. "Ah'm a pirate, 'ya bootlicker!"
Corrin's mouth sat agape. "It's perfect..."
The girl giggled lightly, breaking character. "Right? This is going to be the best Halloween ever, especially with Kamui back!" The girl's cheerful expression hardened a little – slightly strained. "At least... for this year."
All Corrin wanted to do was pull his little sister into a hug then and there, but he audibly heard the curtain behind him pulled aside, and settled for putting a hand on the girl's shoulder, squeezing it tight, and bringing her to his side as he turned to face their Hoshidan guests.
"Oh Camilla, what have you done..."
Elise cleared her throat, brushing his hand off and putting her hands on her hips triumphantly. "Actually, these were my ideas."
Ryoma stepped forward first, and Corrin almost busted a gut trying not to laugh at the costume. Gone was his regal looking armor, but the man was perhaps wearing even more red than before, the segmented carapace he wore both plush and form-fitting. Atop his head was a flat headpiece with two large eyes and a pair of feelers. The lobster crossed his arms, and only then did Corrin notice he had a pair of claws atop his arms, thick tail sprouting above his waist.
Behind the crustacean was a mess of tan-colored fabric, twisting and turning until finally, Takumi's head popped out. Corrin could see the boy's arms and legs clearly in the right holes, but it wasn't until he stepped out into the sunlight that the Nohrian prince realized what exactly the boy was wearing.
He could not hold in his mirth, chortling before the low rumble became full-blown laughter, averting his eyes as he covered his mouth. When he managed to bring his eyes back up to the faces of the Hoshidan princes and saw their looks of confusion, he couldn't hold it in, looking the younger prince up and down.
"E-E-Elise... you put-" He laughed, grin splitting his face. "You put Takumi in... he's..."
The tomato, the lettuce, the cheese...
"Yep. He's Taco-mi."
Corrin completely lost it, hunched over, bursting into laughter at Elise's proud declaration. He gasped for breath, almost convulsing as he simply couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Where did you find these things?" Corrin asked in bemusement, wiping at his eyes. Letting out a few more chuckles as he regained composure, he rose to his full height, the Hoshidan princes in front of him smiling awkwardly.
"Effie's had the taco one for forever, apparently. She won it at some kind of eating competition. The lobster one... It was just with the rest of the outfits." Elise shrugged slightly. "Arthur found it. Probably the most luck he's ever had."
The pale-haired prince could only smile, turning to their Hoshidan guests. They both had their arms crossed, leaning close to one another as they whispered. "Something wrong, you two?"
"Well, by your outburst..." Ryoma began. "Are our costumes... jokes?"
Corrin winced, almost instantly regretting being unable to hold in his amusement, but Elise stepped forward and spoke up quickly. "Oh, there's nothing wrong with wearing something that will make people laugh. Joke costumes are something of a tradition among some Nohrian families, much like how some will go out of their way to become the most terrifying. Joke costumes are some of my favorites, actually."
Both Hoshidan princes seemed to share a glance, Corrin thankfully able to hold in a chuckle at the image of a taco and a lobster looking at each other. Ryoma and Takumi both turned towards them, and nodded.
"If that's the case, I'm glad you brought us something appropriate." Ryoma spoke formally.
"Eh, it was nothing."
"Ryoma, Takumi, what are you wearing?"
Everyone present turned towards the voice. Corrin blinked, looking up the newcomer up and down, only recognizing her by her face and red-head of hair – and only then feeling completely ashamed of what he'd just gazed at for far longer than he should have.
'Oh Camilla, what have you done…'
"H-Hinoka? What are you wearing?" Ryoma half-yelled. Corrin could only imagine the prince's face being the same sharp red as his lobster costume. While the princes had joke costumes, it seemed like Hinoka's was taken in another traditional direction: sexy. The point was perhaps proven by how Corrin no longer felt the eyes of an angry ninja boring through his skull.
The skin-tight black leather body suit hugged Hinoka's form, covered in places by small plastic scales. Broad wings sprouted mid-way along her arms, fanning out from her elbows all the way to her shoulders, and seemed to move fluidly as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Even with the only skin shown being her hands and face, it left very little to the imagination.
"I'm a wyvern." She blushed, reaching up to a chain collar hanging from her neck, and lifting her leg to jingle the shackle around her ankle. "I broke free."
Whether she was just trying to be in character or whether Camilla actually had her chained up, Corrin was unsure.
"I certainly hope Sakura's not in anything so..." Corrin trailed off.
"She's not." Camilla pointed out, rounding the corner with a small mummy in tow. Contrary to the rest of her siblings, the only thing recognizable about Sakura was a few locks of pink hair sticking out through gaps in the cloth wrappings, and her eyes.
"Mhmph!"
"Oh, sorry dear." Camilla reached down and adjusted the wrappings around the girl's mouth.
Corrin couldn't help but snort. The costume fit what he knew of the younger girl well. In fact, it almost suited her perfectly – the only one somewhat out of place among the Hoshidans being Hinoka.
"Elise, would you mind showing our guests to the plaza?" Camilla requested, patting Sakura on her back. The eldest Nohrian sister twirled a lock of her purple hair between her fingers, crossing an arm beneath her chest. Corrin couldn't help but notice she was wearing plastic armor that actually covered her more than her typical attire, with a decently-sized bag in her hand. "The festival is going to be starting very shortly."
The pirate snapped a mock salute. "Aye, Cap!" Elise beckoned to the princes as she passed Hinoka and Sakura. "Come on, we don't want to be late!"
Ryoma and Takumi walked on by, the former offering him a short nod as their eyes met for but a second, the Hoshidans rounding the corner of a building and out of view. The moment they were gone, Corrin turned to Camilla, raising an eyebrow. "Hinoka as a wyvern? And what are you supposed to be?"
"Yes, a wyvern. And I'm a wyvern rider." The girl lifted her arm, innocent smile on her face as her eyes sparkled, holding out the bag to him. "Your costume. I should go catch up."
The moment Corrin took the bag in his hands – eyes staring straight ahead as his sister's words caught up with him – Camilla turned, offering a wave over her shoulder as she rounded the corner in pursuit of the Hoshidans. A moment passed, and the prince sighed.
"Figures she'd do something like this..."
He looked into his bag, and frowned, reaching in. Pulling a single piece of his outfit, Corrin winced. He hesitated, before resolving to do the right thing, turning and pushing through the curtain into the changing room.
Someone had to do it, after all...
"So... This is what you guys set up, huh?"
Arms crossed, Corrin couldn't help but admire the sheer effort that went into decorating the newly dubbed "Risen House". Though, he had to admit, having put Odin on the team, he'd certainly expected... How could he put it? A more extravagant name?
Finally, the prince gave up, turning to the two of his brother's retainers' he'd tasked with the remodeling, both next to a fire they'd likely started to keep warm, night having finally fallen. "Why 'Risen House'?"
Odin began to cackle where he stood, until said cackling turned to boisterous laughter. He pounded his bare chest, dressed not unlike a bandit. Corrin waited patiently as the eccentric man's laughter died down, then waited longer. Odin didn't answer.
Laslow sighed, running a hand through his hair as he took a moment to swat at a spark that neared his cape. "He's been doing that since he's gotten changed..." Xander's retainer looked him up and down. "\Would you like to join me for a cup of tea, Lord Corrin? Or perhaps you might let me suck your blood?"
"So long as you don't ask me to make the tea..." Corrin smiled, getting a chuckle out of the flirt. The prince looked down at his own attire, and sighed as passersby behind him giggled.
"So... you pick that out yourself then?" There might have been only a hint of teasing in Laslow's voice, but Corrin growled back softly in response.
Was a maid's outfit really the best thing Camilla could have gotten him? He rubbed his thighs together, a chill hitting him.
"So… again, 'Risen House'?" He asked, not-so-subtly avoiding the topic.
"You'd have to have been there, believe me."
Odin nodded along, even as he refused to speak. Laslow stood up after a second-long silence, turning around and opening the trunk he was sitting on. "I was serious about the tea, by the way. You've been running around like crazy."
Corrin watched on as the mock-vampire pulled a kettle and a stand from the trunk, setting about getting tea ready. Laslow wasn't wrong, and he really did want to sit down and take a break.
"The foot traffic here is amusing, trust me."
Yeah, he could serve to take a short break. As he moved to sit, the prince mentally patted himself on the back for the sudden, brilliant thought. He cleared his throat quietly to get Laslow's attention, pulled his shoulders back and leaned forwards slightly. "Oh, sweet Laslow…?" Bringing a bent finger to his lips, biting the knuckle lightly, Corrin pulled some hair behind an ear. "I'd love a cup of tea."
"Uhh…"
The prince held in the need to snicker at his reaction. "You're blushing Laslow... Is tea no good?" Corrin tilted his head, exposing his neck. "Blood, then?"
A shriek from the Risen House was the only thing aside from the crackling of the fire that cut through the sudden silence. A moment passed, and a young Hoshidan boy walked by, into the building, muttering something about being a man.
Laslow cleared his throat, blinking as he returned to making tea, though the blush didn't leave his face. "That was… convincing."
"The northern fortress had a lot of books." Corrin mentioned. "I've read some things."
"Right…"
The silent Odin coughed slightly, and the Hoshidan boy who just went into the Risen House came jogging out, repeating the word 'nope' until he was out of earshot.
Tea kettle set over the fire, Laslow closed the trunk and sat down on it, but left half of it for Corrin to sit on. The prince strode over and sat, his legs warming from the heat of the fire.
"Amusing foot traffic?" Corrin asked, recalling Laslow's comment as he leaned forwards towards the flame.
"You and that one Hoshidan princess are the only two members of the royal families who haven't gone through the Risen House yet." Laslow confirmed, before chuckling. "We've been counting, and… what, one-third of the people who've gone in came back out without going all the way through?"
Odin nodded along, even as there was another screech from within. Corrin blinked, turning to Laslow. "Anyone in there right now?"
"No." Corrin's heart leapt into his throat.
"Uh… Don't you hear that screeching noise?"
"What screeching noise- Heh, I'm kidding." Laslow winked, and gave him a winning smile, reaching forward with a potholder to grab the hot kettle.
"You're… you…"
"It's Nyx." Laslow explained, cautiously preparing the tea. "We have her in one of the cells in costume, and she screams every so often to try and attract more visitors."
"That's… actually quite brilliant." Corrin remarked.
Xander's retainer nodded along, slowly pouring a cup of tea. "We thought it would be hard to convince her to help out, but she did it more than willingly – almost eagerly. She must really love Halloween." The silver-haired man passed him a cup of tea.
"Thanks."
"Going to give it a shot after your break?" Laslow asked.
That prompted a hum from Corrin, sipping at his tea. He pondered it for a minute or so, not giving Laslow an answer. There was still so much he had left to do… but it seemed that decision was taken from his own hands a moment later as someone approached, clearing their throat. The prince looked up from his empty cup, red eyes trailing the long dark blue-coat of the girl who stood a short distance from the fire.
"This is the haunted house I've been hearing about?" Azura asked, her hair combed back behind her. The jacket she wore was very military-esque, double breasted, belted in the middle, and cut just above the ankles – a far-cry from what she seemed to prefer. She smiled down at him softly.
"Indeed it is, fair lady. Planning on heading in?" Laslow quizzed, nodding towards the kettle. "How about a cup of tea to calm your nerves?"
"I'll pass on the tea, but I had been considering seeing what everyone else had been talking about."
"Well, Lord Corrin?" Laslow began, "You haven't gone in yet. What do you think about accompanying her? A haunted house isn't much fun alone. I'd offer, but I already know what to expect around every corner. Not nearly as pulse-pounding then."
"Of course." Corrin turned his eyes to the girl who was his mirror: a Nohrian princess raised in Hoshido, while he and his sister had been Hoshidan by birth, yet raised Nohrian. What twisted fates they had. "So long as you'll have me."
Azura nodded, her piercing yellow eyes blinking as she offered him a hand up – one that he took, standing. The prince turned.
"Thanks for the tea and the company, Laslow. You too, Odin."
Laslow gave him a thumbs-up, while Odin cleared his throat.
"Thanks for sticking around, Lord Corrin." The blond spoke.
"Oh, you finally broke character. I was beginning to think a curse or something backfired, and you turned yourself into a simpleton."
"Preposterous! My spectral aura was coalescing the dark energies and emotions from the Risen House in my mind, in preparation for tonight's ritual! I couldn't simply speak without exposing the deepest fears of all who had entered."
"Uhuh."
"What does that mean, 'Uhuh?' Don't believe me?"
Corrin and Azura shared a glance, the songstress tilting her head.
"Let's just head in." The pale-haired prince suggested.
"Okay."
The two ducked into the prison's archway, still able to hear the retainers conversing behind them as they stepped forward.
"And what about the weird, random bouts of laughter?"
"I needed to sift through the spiritual import. Knowledge is power, and understanding is the lock and key."
"Okay, and…?"
"Selena is afraid of mice."
Laslow's laughter echoed off the walls of the prison, slowly petering out as Corrin and Azura continued deeper.
Eventually, the only sounds Corrin could hear were the beating of his own heart, heavy in his ears, and Azura's soft breathing. Had the prison always been so quiet?
A piercing shriek cut through the air and stabbed his ears made him jump, Azura stepping close to him, her side pressed up against his. The candlelit hallway ahead of them was long. At the edge of the nearest light, Corrin could see the bars of a cell, with a skeletal hand hanging outside of them.
Bony fingers curled, though one remained straight – pointing across the hall. Corrin followed the line, and saw yet another skeletal hand. He blinked as its fingers curled as well, pointing down to the middle of the hallway.
An arm seemed to sprout from the ground. Next to him, Azura gasped.
The arm grew and grew – made of bone, like the others.
It pointed up.
Slowly, Corrin and Azura both tilted their heads up, following the skeletal directions. There was just enough light that Corrin could read the word written there, blood-red.
"It says "Boo"." Azura pointed out helpfully.
Well, that wasn't scary at all.
The sudden sound of heavy breathing and hot breath on his neck made Corrin's hair stand on end. He slowly turned, eyes meeting Azura's, and then both continued to turn.
His eyes then met a giant maw, sharp teeth glinting in the candle light. The beast behind him growled, maw growing wider.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
"Run! Run!"
Laslow looked up from the cup of tea he was nursing in his hands, lips pursed.
"Do you think we should have told them about Keaton?"
Odin started cackling, the sound slowly starting to grow into full-blown maniacal laughter as it had so many times before.
"I suppose not."
Corrin drew a hand across his forehead and wiped the sweat from his brow, stepping outside the prison's archway. He panted, prying his other hand from Azura's, both cold and clammy with sweat.
"That… that was…" The blue haired girl panted out.
Utterly terrifying? Arduous? Worse than an audience with King Garon?
"That was fun!" Azura exclaimed, smiling as her head came up, grin spread across her face. Corrin took a moment to blink, and mentally store the image. During his short time in Hoshido, he hadn't seen an expression like that on the girl's face for even a split second.
"Y-you think so?"
The girl's blue hair flopped about as she nodded cheerfully, drawing in a deep breath as she stretched her arms high above her head. "I've never felt such a wonderful rush! When we turned and that monster was there, it felt like my heart was going to pound right out of my chest!"
"Haa…" Corrin let out a breath, hopping up and down in place. "I've heard you'll never forget your first time in a haunted house."
"Really? Still remember yours?" Azura quizzed.
"Actually, this was my first time." Looking back into the prison, Corrin sighed. "I'd always been so terrified of doing something like this whenever we were in Windmire for Halloween, but… Wow."
It was a rush. His heart was still going strong.
"When our eyes met, and I looked and saw the monster… it was like it appeared out of nowhere." Azura ranted, breathing beginning to calm. "I could barely believe how big it was, too, you know? I thought I was going to faint."
Corrin nodded rapidly. "And then, further in…"
Nyx looked terrifying, like a ghastly apparition, but chained to a wall. Corrin suspected she'd been behind the skeletal hands and ominous messages. When they'd reached her, she'd simply disappeared – as did the monster. After that, there was nothing – no more messages, creepy silhouettes, anything of the sort. Just shadows to jump at.
"Oh, that deep in, I was about ready to quit. I could barely take anymore. If it wasn't for you, I'd never have finished-" the songstress took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly "-I'd never have gotten to the end of it."
"Yeah…" The boy shook his head, pulling his hair behind his ears. He looked up, the moon hanging high in the sky.
"There you two are!" Corrin's eyes were brought back down level, meeting the piercing red of Kamui's. "I'm not even going to stop to ask what you're wearing Corrin, the feast has already started!"
"F-feast?" Now that he thought about it, he hadn't checked in with Leo since noon – that had been where he'd supposed to have been headed after stopping by the Risen House. He'd just asked them to make candy and bake some pies. Now there was a whole feast?
"Yes, feast. Food. Delectable dishes and scrumptious desserts. Come on you two!"
Azura's mouth opened to speak, but Kamui had grabbed both her and Corrin by the wrists. The prince winced as she tugged hard, beginning to pull them along.
"Besides, there's something you both need to see…"
The three of them could see the lantern-lit plaza long before Kamui released them from her iron grip. At that point, Corrin had been so enraptured by the sight, when he first stepped foot on the cobble, he hadn't even noticed them.
Long tables – over twenty seats at each, rows upon rows of them. Most importantly, the people seated there. Nohrians didn't just sit with Nohrians, nor Hoshidans with Hoshidans: He spotted Felicia eagerly speaking with a female ninja that he knew was someone's retainer; Beruka - the last person he expected to see interacting with anyone – was saying the odd word or two in response to an older looking woman with scars across her face. Peri and Charlotte were out and about, serving plates, both being followed by a redheaded, masked ninja Corrin felt he'd seen before. And it wasn't like he was checking the food they were serving for poison or anything of the sort – they were talking!
"You see it?"
Corrin didn't know how to describe the feeling, looking at the head table. There were smaller words – such as pride and joy – but there was no word he knew that could describe both in such quantity. Leo was talking with Ryoma – what they were discussing, no one knew – while Xander entertained both Sakura and Elise, Takumi watching on from the side, chuckling. Camilla almost looked to be harassing Hinoka, but from the expression on the redhead's face, she didn't seem to mind at all.
To his right, Corrin could swear he could hear Azura weep slightly, Kamui pressing up against his left.
"We can do it brother. This is what we're fighting for."
The Nohrian prince wrapped an arm around his twin's shoulder. Xander looked over to him – to them – and waved them over. At the motion, Sakura and Elise noticed, and did the same. Eventually, every eye at the head table was on them, and more than a few among the masses as well.
Corrin turned, seeing Azura dry her eyes.
Never mind the smile she had minutes ago. This was one he couldn't possibly forget.
It was possible. They could do it.
The twins took two twin steps forwards, and that's when Takumi burst out into laughter.
"What the hell are you wearing?"
Corrin only smiled wider.
They could do it.