Crown of Ruin
Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers. That goes to Nintendo. The only characters I own are those from the Golden Land, angels from Skyworld including the royal bodyguards, Angel Assembly and archangels along with all the other angels and of course the witch hunters.
Summary: Cloud was just a mercenary that resorted to thievery when the job went sour. Bayonetta was a witch in disguise of a pauper waiting for the chance to go wild on the humans she looked down on. The two would cross paths often in the city of Izumo. Things would change the both of them when the ruler of the neutral fraction Mikoto ends up dead and the main suspect is her only son Corrin. Seeing this as an opportunity, both jump to protect the scared prince unaware of the politics going on behind the scenes.
Pairing: Cloud/Corrin/Bayonetta, Sumeragi/Mikoto/Garon, Ryoma/Crimson and others to be added
Rated: M (for mature) but E on Archive of Our Own (for any sex scenes)
Genre: Romance, Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Humor and Angst
Warning: Sexual violence, extreme violence, character death, polygamy (OT3), blackmail, sexual themes and unintentional OOC
This is based on a Tumblr prompt from the AU Prompts. Character A is a thief with kleptomania, Character B is a pauper that makes money from sewing and tailoring clothes, and Character C is the only child of a nobility figure. When Character C finds their family's reputation is ruin, the unlikely trio is brought together to protect Character C's right to the throne – and their life. Enjoy! And as of this chapter, the rating actually goes up now.
Chapter 11: Conspirator
The portal Bayonetta made only teleported her and Cloud a little outside of Izumo. This location was close to where Bayonetta originally lived (the area that was little ways outside of Izumo and almost into Nohr territory). The area was now safe given that most of the Nohrian soldiers were stationed inside of Izumo by request of King Garon and the other Nohr siblings. If they wanted to leave Izumo, now was their chance. Shulk, Tiki, Nyx, Kamui, Tifa, Barret and Flora were all waiting for the two to make it back to them. Shulk was just relieved that there wasn't anyone following them. Bayonetta had whispered to Cloud to put her down since she was capable of walking. This was mainly to save her the embarrassment, but Cloud didn't seem to mind carrying her until he saw the look Tifa gave him that made him drop her rather quickly.
"Thanks for being a gentleman, Cloudy." She hummed as a response. "I'll be sure to ask you to carry me again when I don't feel like it."
Bayonetta was only trying to save face given how she resisted the idea of Cloud carrying her up until that point. Cloud just rolled his eyes and murmured with his usual "Whatever" before turning to the group.
"Where to next?" He asked. "Besides Valla…"
"We can't go back to Izumo…not yet." Shulk answered. "We still have things to do here unfortunately."
"…That's stupid!" Kamui stated. "Wouldn't you be recognized after what happened? Come back with us to Valla. It's safer there."
"We can't go yet…however…can I ask you to bring Ava back here, Kamui? I need him to locate someone that's in the pagoda and ask him on an update on the situation."
Kamui was clearly confused about this thus Shulk had to explain in detail who this person was.
"Thanks to Tiki, we have spoken to someone here in the past. He is a heavenly being like Pit. From what we learned about him, this heavenly being has been around for quite some time and can give us information on the situation of the Invisible Continent. It's important to know what is going on before we make our next move. As of now, we have to lay low for obvious reasons. While I think Nyx and Tiki will be fine seeing as how no one was able to detect them as far as I could tell, they clearly saw me and the Monado. They will be searching for me…"
"It is not your fault." Tiki interrupted. "You did what you could. You saw a vision that led to someone's death, correct?"
Shulk glared at Cloud as a response. The mercenary shrugged his shoulders as a response.
"Then it can't be helped." The green haired Manakete said. "I don't mind going into hiding with you Shulk…if it's okay with Nyx."
"I've been doing that all my life. This is no different." Nyx replied in a snarky voice.
"Right…" Shulk murmured. "But yeah…I trust Ava with this task. He hasn't been seen…and knowing him…he'll come up with something cunning to be able to sneak in."
Kamui couldn't think of what Ava could do seeing how bubbly he was. She didn't know Ava well enough though, so she would trust Shulk's words.
While everyone was talking, Bayonetta was creating another portal that would take them back to Valla. The one that was originally in this area needed to be removed so the soldiers wouldn't be able to find it. If Bayonetta were to place it here, the group would probably end up back at the cave area in Valla. Cloud let his friends continue talking to Shulk's group as he approached the Umbra Witch.
"You seem upset. What's wrong?"
"…I can't go back to my shop." Bayonetta hissed as a response. "All that money I made probably got confiscated by those Nohrian scum."
"Well, it's not like you were going to use that money anyway."
"Excuse you if I didn't bother to give you all of my earnings."
"It would be useful when we eventually leave the continent."
Bayonetta gave him a confused look as she finished the portal. "…We?"
"Who else? You have nowhere else to go now that the three kingdoms think that you're with me. We aren't, but it can't be helped."
"…Tch…"
"You should be thankful you're alive." Cloud suddenly said. Bayonetta stood up and glared at the mercenary as a response. However, his expression softened seeing how angry she got. "…Things would have been boring if you bit the dust before I came for you."
The raven haired witch was silent as she listened to the younger male say those words. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words. She did murmur something under her breath that Cloud could not hear but he took it as an insult of some sort. He failed to notice how her cheeks were lighting up. This did not go unnoticed by Tifa though who observed them from a distance. Her expression darkened seeing the two like that. There really wasn't anything she could do though. The bartender expected there was something going on between the two, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
"Tifa, is something the matter?" Barret asked her.
Tifa continued to stare at the two when she spoke. "No…it's nothing…"
The group now consisting of Cloud, Bayonetta, Flora, Barret and Tifa finally made it back to Valla from the teleporter that Bayonetta made. Corrin, Ava, Azura and Volga were waiting for their return. The minute that the group stepped away from the teleporter, Corrin was so quick with rushing to them to greet them. However, when he extended his arms out for a hug, the group was surprised that the dragon prince embraced Bayonetta. She was obviously stunned by the action seeing as how it came out of nowhere, but it wasn't an unwarranted hug.
"I'm so happy that all of you are okay!" Corrin exclaimed as he hugged Bayonetta tighter. "And I'm glad that you're not hurt after what happened…"
"…You worry too much." Bayonetta responded as she awkwardly pat the dragon prince on the head. "There isn't a single human in the world that can break me."
Corrin took a while to hug the Umbra Witch causing Cloud to raise his eyebrow at the Izumo prince suspiciously as a result. Kamui wasn't paying attention because of Azura and Volga pulling her away from the group and lecturing her. Volga complained about how he wasn't allowed to go out and murder people with her while Azura complained about Kamui's obvious recklessness. Azura did pay attention to Tifa and Barret and urged them to come along.
To show that Corrin was not bias in terms of hugging, the dragon prince would soon get off of the older woman and embrace his maid instead who really needed the hug at the moment. He saw her tattered clothes and the wounds she suffered. He would need to heal her as soon as possible. He did not want her to get any infections due to his negligence.
"I am glad you are safe, Lord Corrin." Flora mumbled softly as she returned the embrace.
"That's my line! I was scared they would kill you!"
"…I thought they would too…but I'm glad Bayonetta and Princess Camilla were around to support me."
"You're safe now, Flora! Felicia and I will treat your injuries. You'll be back on your feet in no time!"
"…Felicia is here?" Flora asked. "…Of course she is."
"Yes! She's here! Why?"
"…I can't believe that after all of this time…I'm allowed to see her again."
"Yes! Yes you can! Can you walk?"
"I'm not that weak, my prince."
Corrin was still frantic with helping her. While this was happening, Kamui looked over to Ava and asked him to come along with her.
"I'm returning you back to Shulk." Kamui told him.
"You make it seem like I'm his property or something." Ava hummed. "Not like I mind the idea?"
Kamui sighed at the innuendo. "Shulk has a job for you. It concerns looking for someone that's in the pagoda."
Ava gave her a confused look, but then immediately knew who was waiting for him.
"Oh! I know who it is! Leave it to me! Take me back to Master Shulk!"
Ava ended up dragging Kamui back toward the portal before she had any saying in it. It wouldn't take long of course for her to drop him off and return so Azura and Volga let her go alone.
The fire dragon stared at Bayonetta as she started to walk with the rest of the group farther into Valla. Of course he had to start something with the Umbra Witch.
"It's been awhile since you've been allowed to walk into this kingdom, witch."
"…I won't stay for long…just until my injuries are healed." Bayonetta said rather quickly. Valla was supposed to be the safest place now that she was considered a threat to all three kingdoms above the surface. However, she had no intention of being protected. She would treat her injuries (and fix her clothes) and leave without making a sound.
Azura could tell Bayonetta was trying to keep her tough girl act on. It wasn't going to work if she started wobbling the longer she walked. Unlike Flora, she seemed to be at her limit.
"…You need more than a day to regain your strength." Azura started. "If you stay long enough, you'll be able to speak to Anankos one on one if you have questions."
"When?"
"Tomorrow at best. For now, you need your rest. I can tell from just looking at you that you haven't gotten a bite to eat or anything to drink for the past twenty-four hours. You may be a witch, but you are still human."
Bayonetta really did try to hide the fatigue on her face. Macbeth did everything to make her bend to his will. She was deprived of food and water, she couldn't sleep due to the nightmares returning to her and she was harassed by the guards. They really wanted information out of her, but they just weren't getting it. If they kept it up for a little while longer, she didn't know if she would be able to continue looking strong.
Corrin was horrified at learning this and was back by the Umbra Witch's side.
"That's terrible! How can I allow you to walk on your own now after hearing that you don't even have the strength to do so?"
"Corrin…I'm fine…"
"No, it's not okay. I'll take you back to Kamui's place…and I'll prepare a meal for you. I will take care of you until you feel better."
Azura paled immediately at Corrin's declaration.
"…You…aren't serious about cooking…right?"
"Yes, I am. Why is that a problem?"
…Your sister is a terrible cook. Chances are you are just as bad as she is. Azura thought darkly to herself.
"Cloud, please put Bayonetta on my back."
"I told you, I don't need-"
The silver haired prince quickly shifted to his dragon form. Cloud agreed that the Umbra Witch should not be walking if she truly was on the verge of collapse. Bayonetta weakly protested about the treatment but gave in realizing that the two males weren't going to let her walk on her own after Azura's convincing statement. Corrin offered for Cloud or Flora to get on his back, but they both declined. The group would slowly head back to Kamui's house. Azura dreaded the idea of Corrin rushing to the kitchen immediately to prepare them dinner.
Macbeth slammed his fists on the table in the room he was currently in. He could not believe that he let all the important people in his plan escape his grasp. Now things were looking grim for him. It won't be long until this group either escaped the continent or they came back in order to assassinate him. His life and career were in danger. If Zora didn't fuck up, then he probably wouldn't be in this paranoid state.
However, Zora did one thing right. It was the only reason the jester was alive now. Zora had dug deep into Bayonetta's psyche and was able to bring up someone from her past. Macbeth had asked Zora to maintain the form. He would then ask a certain someone about who this man was before he chuckled.
"Oh, that's the inquisitor Totopepe. He was a nasty one in comparison to the rest of the inquisitors."
"Oh? Do tell."
"He had a dark secret that allowed him to get the upper hand. Rumor has it that he was actually a demon in disguise of a dragon or elf that lured witches into a false sense of security before transforming and capturing them. His torture techniques were amazing. He got the information he wanted out of any witch he captured. Legend has it that Bayonetta was one of the witch's he captured. She is very fortune to be alive even though her Umbran Sisters met a horrible demise at his hand."
Macbeth was very pleased with this information.
"What will you do with this information?"
"Isn't it obvious? Should I lure her into a trap, I will replicate the scene of the past. Zora is going to help me do it."
Zora had transformed back at this point. He shivered at the idea of going along with Macbeth and this other person's plan. The implication of that story went farther than what this person was willing to talk about. The fact the person was talking in fables annoyed the jester greatly.
"I would love to sit and chat to you about the details of the first war."
"Yes, I would love to know too. What sort of details?"
"I got information on all the witches that were slain, how the war started and all the inquisitors that gave their lives to get rid of all the witches for their wicked deeds. It's still amazing how Bayonetta is still alive despite all of this. I expected her to die off shortly afterward, but I guess she's a tenacious soul. What do you expect from the daughter of a powerful witch and a heavenly being though?"
Macbeth didn't answer that.
"Are you willing to bide your time though? Remember, Prince Corrin doesn't know how or why his mother died. He's going to have to return if he doesn't find an alternate way of finding out."
"…Are you suggesting I lay a trap for him?"
"Of course! You already have a spy in the group after all. You should thank my friend for that. Plus, you also have that item that allows the prince to be spied on. You should be wary of using that now though. Bayonetta is with him. It means that she might take notice and warn him."
"I see what you mean." Macbeth smiled at the thought of the prince returning to him in one piece. "I cannot wait for his return. The next time I see him, he will be mine."
"Yes…he shall be yours." The person said in an agreeable tone. "Although, it is a shame that I have to throw the prince under the bus like this, but I do like the privilege I have obtained with him being on the run."
"How cruel of you." Macbeth said with a laugh. "Then again, I think you're cruel to tell me the real reason his mother died. If I didn't know any better, I would think we were on the same side."
"I told you, so you can use that information however way you wish. I do say though…her death is the biggest inconvenience for me. If only she had listened then things wouldn't have had turned out like this."
Macbeth continued to snicker with the person with how not sorry he was for Mikoto's death.
"Say, do you think you can give me a list of people to keep my eyes on until the time is right for Corrin to return?" Macbeth asked the person. "I want these plans to be perfect. I want to rule Izumo and I will have my sweet prince by my side."
"You know that's going to be a long hit list, right?" The person asked. "I got a list of course and you can thank my friend for that, but remember: You got to keep some people alive. Blackmailing the prince is your specialty."
"And I will blackmail the princess too once I have her twin under my control." Macbeth hummed. He could already imagine Corrin submitting to him on the bed. However, the imagination of Corrin's sister joining him underneath the bed sheets with him also made his evil grin widen.
At this point the conversation between the two ended when they heard a rustling from outside. It wasn't Zora as he was still in the room. Zora panicked realizing that there was someone spying on the conversation and he didn't notice until now. Macbeth would have panicked but seeing as how the third person in the room didn't seem to mind being spied on, chances are that this person already had a plan.
"My, it looks like there is a rat in this place."
"Don't worry. I'll get my servant to exterminate the rat before things get out of hand. Don't worry! He won't let me down. He never does."
Ava was able to get to the location needed thanks to the portals that were still lingering around the pagoda. It was amazing how the soldiers missed these oddly shaped areas that would lead to their targets. Ava took advantage of the portals hiding in the darkness in order to sneak around. The pagoda was in chaos after the rescue mission. Because it was nightfall, many soldiers were told to search every location for them even though they would never be found.
Ava already knew where he needed to be. It was risky to try to talk to this man at a time like this, but Ava wouldn't accept Shulk's request if he couldn't do it. The guards didn't know what to expect when it concerned dealing with someone of the young tactician's caliber. He was able to sneak past everyone like he was a ninja.
Okay, so I should be waiting on the second floor in the middle room. Ava thought to himself as he scurried past a few more guards and slipped away before they noticed. Ava almost messed up once when he entered the pagoda due to nearly tripping over his own feet. Despite security being up, it was still possible to slip into some of the rooms and hide.
Ava had to do that in the very room that he was supposed to meet his target. The guards thought they heard something and went into the room. The room that Ava was asked to stay in was a guest room so there were plenty of places to hide. The pink haired tactician decided to be risky and hide under the bed. For some strange reason, the guards didn't bother to check the bed even if there might have been a bright pink color that was visible in the darkness. Ava held his breath as he waited for the guards to check the room and leave. One of the guards stopped in front of the bed as if he was going to check underneath it.
"Hey, what are you guards doing?" Asked a voice from the outside of the room.
"C-Christo! W-We were just…investigating the room!"
"For what? A fly? Come on! There's no one in the room. Go outside and do your job instead of wasting your time in here!"
"Y-Yes sir!"
Christo waited for the guards to leave before he closed the door behind him. He listened to see if anyone was behind the door still before turning around.
"…You can come out now."
Ava hummed as he crawled out from under the bed. He gave him the best smile he could muster despite the situation. Christo was far from pleased.
"If I wasn't there, you would have been caught. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"Sorwee?~"
Ava didn't think he was going to get caught. Chriso sighed at how childish this tactician was. He kind of hoped in general that it wasn't Ava that was traveling with Shulk and the other tactician instead.
"…Let's make this quick. I don't want anyone looking for me and then see me with you. I already get suspicious looks as it is." Christo started.
"Oh…does that mean I can't ask about how you and Izana are doing? I missed talking to you both."
This is actually the first time Ava has ever met Christo in person. What the tactician is talking about is through divine connection. Christo sighed as he removed the headband he always wore off. The headband made him look like a demon with the red horns, but he stated he wore it to keep people away from him. It didn't mean much though given how he was clearly not a demon despite the pointy ears he had. This was due to the magic Christo used to keep the impression he was a creature that clearly wasn't human but certainly wasn't as evil demon.
"Hey, you can show your wings to me." Ava hummed. "I wouldn't mind."
"Unfortunately, if I did that, feathers would be everywhere, and the last thing I want is for someone to come in and ask what is the meaning of white feathers scattered around the room. It is easier to disguise myself as a demon or an elf to scare people instead of an angel that is meant to bless the people. Imagine if someone found out what I was during this chaos. I would hardly be considered a good angel and I blame Captain Pit for that."
Ava frowned at this. "Oh…you're mad at Pit? Why?"
"Ava…that bastard overworks me to death. I've been in this miserable hellhole for a few years now. Remember what the mission was two years ago when you came into this world. All the dragons in the world are scattered around the world and we need to bring them all to one place just to make sure that things don't take a turn for the worse. Yet, because of those stupid humans from Midgar, the plan got delayed because they couldn't even get the heirs of Izumo back to the outer continent. It's frustrating to know that this is the best opportunity to bring them back when the Invisible Continent is on the verge of collapse without a ruler. Does Captain Pit want a war? Did all the heavenly beings just decide on this without me? I barely get to talk to any of them because I'm always busy. With the investigation of the queen's death, I can't get an update on what I need to do."
Ava listened to Christo's venting and nodded his head as a response. He didn't understand all of it, but he would be able to convey this back to Shulk or Tiki if either of them asked.
"I'm sorry Christo. It won't be long though. Like you said, things are becoming interesting now."
"War is not interesting, Ava. You should know this…although I don't expect your innocent mind to realize that war is hell." Christo told him. "I just want out before war breaks out. I do not want to get myself in a conflict between humans again."
Christo hated lecturing Ava about things he should know. It wasn't Ava's fault though. He was created by accident and was still adjusting to how the world worked. Granted, it's been two years and there doesn't seem to be much improvement in terms of his mentality, but at least his stealth skills and fighting prowess has gotten better.
"…You are obviously stressed." Ava stated the obvious as he approached Christo. The turquoise haired assistant didn't know what to expect until Ava started to remove his robe. His cheeks turned red and his eyes widened horror at the action. "I can help you relieve your stress…"
"K-Keep your clothes on!" Christo shouted. "You know very well that I am not that type of person!"
"But you're stressed…"
"I'm an angel… and angels are not allowed to even be engaging in these human activities…"
"But I'm not human." Ava replied cutely as he started to snuggle into Christo's chest. "I'm a dragon."
"A dark dragon that was created…" Christo added. "That's not a good thing. You were not made to service people like that. You are a tactician just like Prince Robin and Princess Reflet."
"But people enjoy my services." Ava hummed. "You'll like my service too."
Before Christo could argue anymore, there was indeed a knock on the door. The person didn't bother to wait though for some strange reason and opened the door. Christo didn't know how to react besides stand there like a deer in the headlight.
"S-Saizo…w-why didn't you knock?!"
"You usually sense my presence before I even have to knock. I can see why you didn't sense me though…"
Christo sighed seeing it was just Ryoma's retainers that came to fetch him. If it was anyone else, they probably would have asked more questions on who he was with. Saizo may have been serious, but he still needed questions.
"…We were ordered to bring you back to Duke Izana." Kagero answered seeing that Saizo was still glaring at the pink haired boy next to Christo. "He wanted to see you personally."
"Again?" Christo asked rather annoyed. "Can't that man do anything on his own?"
Saizo huffed as he continued to glare at Ava. "And who is the kid?"
"…Can you keep a secret, please?" Christo asked as a response. "I do not need Izana having another thing to make fun of me for."
Saizo made a disgruntled noise. "…To think that even you would stoop as low to get a prostitute in times like these. You are very brave and very lucky it was only Kagero and me who found you."
"Don't I know it?" Christo murmured before looking toward Ava. "Run along now. You were able to sneak in without getting caught for me, so I expect you can run out without getting caught."
"Okay…so no service…"
"Sorry…maybe some other time. I really don't need my reputation to be run through the mud because of it."
Ava honestly looked disappointed that he wouldn't be able to demonstrate his skills in this occupation. The ninja continued to glare at Ava as he slowly tiptoed out of the room. Ava stops in order to smile to Christo.
"Good luck, Christo."
Christo blinked as Ava scurried away into the darkness. He shook his head before shrugging his shoulders as a response. He then followed after Saizo and Kagero who lead him away to where Izana was.
A woman in the Hoshidan army could be seen fleeing from the scene of the crime. The crime was the incriminating evidence that Macbeth was indeed either and he had someone she knew working with him to make Izumo belong to the evil tactician. The worse part was this person knew who killed Mikoto and how she died but chose not to say anything about it and allowed things to go from bad to worse.
The woman spy looked very tomboyish with her short, spiky blonde hair and boyish freckles. A headband was wrapped around her head in a rather nice manner. Her armor was red and spiky. It looked near identical the red armor that Ryoma wore only her class was specifically the wyvern lord class. She was ready to fight anyone who posed to be a threat to Hoshido.
Unfortunately for her, this meant fighting this person that seemed to be a cool individual despite the problems this person had. Now, this person was a threat. This person had every intention of framing this Cloud Strife person as the culprit to the queen's murder when that was far from the truth. Worse, Corrin was being set up as a marriage candidate for Macbeth so Nohr would be in control of Izumo when all was said and done. Crimson really had a hard time believing what the truth was. All she knew was the plans this person had did not benefit Hoshido in the slightest. She needed to talk to someone…specifically Ryoma about this situation, but how was she going to break the news to him? This was so sudden that he might not believe her that this person was backstabbing everyone.
"Crimson, is there something wrong?"
Crimson froze hearing the soft gentle voice of Ryoma's little sister. Looking around, she saw that she was outside of the pagoda and in the small garden section in the back. This wasn't the courtyard so there weren't that many guards stationed here.
"Sakura…why are you out so late? Shouldn't you be with our retainers and head back?"
"Eh…I was hoping to talk to big brother Ryoma about something that bothered me." Sakura admitted. The young girl stared at Crimson before looking down toward the ground. "I wanted to ask if there was any news about Corrin…"
"Oh…"
"I heard rumors that he had a twin sister and she has turned her back on her kingdom…I don't know what to believe. We were told to stay away from Izumo when I heard that the prisoners that might have been involved with the queen's murder were to be killed…so I…"
"Sakura…"
"I…I just want to be useful. That's all…I hate seeing big brother Ryoma so sad…not just him. Everyone is depressed without Corrin."
Crimson knew this. Corrin had so much influence over them. He was this never ending light that warmed people's hearts. He may not have come out as much as people would have hoped, but he carried the hopes and dreams of his people. Without him, Izumo would fall into despair especially without their queen. This was spreading to Hoshido and Nohr though who wanted his return.
"Sakura, do you know where Ryoma is?"
"I believe he's patrolling the area…" Sakura answered quietly. "Why?"
"I need to speak to him about something important. I'll probably leave to go look for him."
"I…see…"
"…Hey…can you watch over Shinonome for me?"
"Eh? I can. Why? That's so sudden…"
"Well…it's going to be a long night for me and Ryoma." Crimson said with a huge grin on her face. Sakura blushed at the implication. "I mean, I'm surprised Ryoma hasn't told his father about us yet."
"I think…he's worried…about how Father would respond…I mean…Father would love being a grandfather but at this time…"
Crimson chuckled at the thought of Ryoma trying to awkwardly explain to his father that he was in a relationship with her and had a kid behind his back. They've been hiding it for a year although it was apparent to many people in the Hoshido army except Sumeragi. She could imagine Sumeragi slapping her son across the head and yelling at him for bringing dishonor to the family before calming himself and have a normal conversation with his son about his actions. Sumeragi was a cool individual, so Ryoma didn't need to worry about being disowned for having a son who would one day become the next King of Hoshido.
"I think you should leave now." Crimson advised the young priestess. "It's getting late."
"R-Right. I'll be leaving now. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night Crimson."
Crimson waved Sakura off as the girl quickly left the garden. The reason Crimson wanted her gone was because she was worried that someone was going to approach her and ask her a few questions. Someone did indeed do it, but it was someone she could trust, so she didn't expect any problems from him out in the open where people could see what they were doing.
"Crimson, may you come with me please? I have something important to talk to you about."
"No problem, Christo. Please make it fast though. I got to meet up with Ryoma soon."
Crimson was confused on why Christo wanted to talk to her. She remained cautious in his presence. Sure, Christo was a reliable person. When Izana failed to do anything, the turquoise haired man always cleaned up after him. If he needed to talk to you personally, it was something important that he could not do alone.
"Crimson, do you have anything important to do now?" Christo asked her. "My boss is being a pain in the ass."
Crimson laughed causing Christo to groan. "Ha-ha-ha! Oh no! I don't have anything to do. You know me! I sent Sakura to look after my kid. He's growing so fast."
"…The secret child that Ryoma has yet to talk to the King of Hoshido about…"
Crimson was still smirking when she nodded her head. "Yep, I bet his dad is going to give him a long lecture when he finds out. I keep telling Ryoma to just tell Sumeragi, but I guess these dark times prevent good news from being announced."
"…But it's been a year…or two…"
"Right! Shinonome is going to grow up to be big and strong like his father someday."
"I see…"
"Christo, you need to settle down with your special someone soon. You're getting old man wrinkles already being worked to death."
Christo glared at her as a response to being referred to old. His species aged much slower and he didn't like to be reminded that he was currently suffering from an unrequited crush on a certain someone's boss.
"…I was caught with a prostitute not too long ago by Saizo and Kagero. They lost respect for me for trying to try out something new."
The blond didn't mean to laugh that hard. Christo was the gift that kept on giving when he wasn't his serious self. Christo needed to adjust his glasses so he wouldn't lose his cool.
The reality of the situation was that Christo was stalling. The agent from heaven was on a mission and he needed to do it now. Crimson was his friend, so what he was going to do next would break his heart. However, he did not want to get exposed and he certainly didn't want his plans to be ruined because Christo decided to befriend a human. Humans were disposable at the end of the day, so it was only a temporary thing anyway. At the very least, he had a confirmation that her child was far away from her at the moment.
"…Crimson…"
"Yes?"
"…What I'm about to do now is unforgivable. My boss will forgive me, but I cannot forgive myself. Please…no hard feelings."
How could Christo even say that when he did the next thing to young knight?
"Piercing Light!"
When Christo shouted that a symbol appeared in front of him. Crimson was confused at what the turquoise haired man was doing, but by the time she found out what it was, it was already too late. The symbol summoned icicles and like a Gatling gun, the icicles were fired in Crimson's direction. Christo did not count how many he shot at her, but he needed to make sure she was deader than dead.
The impact of the attack sent Crimson flying into a nearby wall. The icicles were like kunai knives that pinned Crimson's body to the wall. The icicles pierce every part of her body. She was dead the minute one of the icicles went through her chest in order to hit her heart. However, Christo went overkill to make sure she was impaled in the forehead, eyes, neck, stomach…
She was deader than dead. Crimson looked just like a voodoo doll with how her body went limp after the brutal attack. Blood gushed out from all corners of her body and dripped to the floor. Christo simply shifted his glasses again. This time, his eyes were not showing as he stared at her corpse.
"…Maybe I used too much magic…" Christo mumbled to himself. "…Not like it matters…that witch is going to take the fall for Crimson's death. Only a few people know my magic works in a similar manner as hers…"
Christo was positive he wouldn't be caught. The evidence was damning anyway. Even if Bayonetta could prove she didn't do it, Christo was still on the "right side", so it wouldn't matter. Again, Christo just hope there were no hard feelings seeing as how it was his boss that ordered the death of the spy.
"I should probably leave a note for Ryoma to show him what happens if anyone from Hoshido should mess with my boss." Christo thought darkly as he chanted something to bring up a letter filled with magical properties. He could be cryptic and write the message on the wall, but he felt like using Crimson's blood to write the message was better. He looked at Crimson's corpse one more time before he shook his head in annoyance.
Like Sakura said, Ryoma was patrolling Izumo with Saizo and Kagero at his side. After getting Christo to his boss, the two ninjas retreated back to their master. Ryoma was almost done with his job and intended to meet with Crimson soon. He was going to dismiss his retainers until he bumped into Marx who was also patrolling Izumo with Lazward and Pieri. Things took a turn for the worse as a result.
"Why are you on this side of Izumo? Shouldn't you be on the side where the witch used to live?" Ryoma asked darkly.
"Camilla has already confiscated every item that was in the shop. There was nothing of value besides a pile of gold in the back." Marx answered. "And for your information, we are patrolling the same route as you. It is not a surprise. It is unfortunate that we are on the same route tonight after what happened at the courtyard."
Oh, that was such a bad topic. Lazward didn't want to think about the aftermath. People were either knocked out or killed but more Nohr soldiers were killed then Hoshido so rumors were being spread that Hoshido had helped out Cloud and his friends in helping the prisoners escape. Lazward hated these baseless assumptions and just wanted to focus on finding the prince.
While Ryoma and Marx were having their childish banter, Lazward attempted to start a conversation with Saizo.
"Lovely night, right?" The mercenary asked as he gave him a wink.
Saizo refused to strike a conversation causing Lazward to frown at how mean the redheaded ninja was. Compare this to Pieri and Kagero who got along very well.
"I have no time to converse with Nohrian scum like you." Ryoma hissed. "I have important things to do. I am done with my patrol for the night and I expect to return to my quarters for the evening."
"Hmph…are you really going to give up that early when things have yet to settle down?" Marx asked. "Why would the dutiful son leave so early?"
"Oh, he probably wants to see a pretty lady late at night." Lazward responded with a laugh. He had no idea he was dead right. When he saw everyone giving him the glare (specifically Ryoma), he squeaked. "I-It was a joke! L-Lighten up!"
Before Lazward dug a deeper hole, a group of soldiers had run right past them. They found it odd that so many of them were moving this quickly late at night. Ryoma had to call out to them to get them to stop.
"Hey, what's the matter? See anything suspicious?" The Hoshido prince questioned.
The soldier wore a grim expression as he spoke. "There…has been a murder inside of the pagoda…"
The group could not believe their ears. It hadn't even been that long since the prisoners escaped but someone had already died. Ryoma felt his heart sink hearing these words. Something told him something terrible had befallen him.
"…Take us to the pagoda."
The soldiers had no choice but to obey. The six people had followed after the soldiers to the main pagoda where the murder took place. A crowd had gathered only because someone had screamed when they entered the room. There was more screaming once Ryoma stepped in though. He could not believe his eyes. In fact, he wanted to take Saizo's kunai and stab his eyes so he wouldn't see the gruesome sight before him.
"C-Crimson?!"
"My lord, please get back." Saizo started but was ignored when Ryoma pushed passed everyone to get to Crimson. Tears had already started to stain his eyes to see his lover in this state. "Ryoma!"
"Crimson…no…why you?! CRIMSON!"
Marx realized quickly why Ryoma was acting strange. The Hoshido prince wanted to meet with her in secret. It is unfortunate for Crimson to die before Ryoma could see her. Was this planned? Who killed her? Regardless, they needed to remove her body from the wall before coming up with a plan to track down the killer.
"Ryoma, you need to remain calm and get her body off the wall. You cannot stand there and expect us to do nothing."
The brunette didn't want to talk to anyone at that point. Marx had approached the Hoshidan prince and awkwardly reached out to pat his shoulder. Ryoma slapped his hand away immediately.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Ryoma screamed as Marx backed off immediately. "I WILL FIND THE PERSON WHO DID THIS TO HER! YOU NOHRIAN SCUM BETTER STAY OUT OF MY WAY!"
The Nohrian prince was taken aback by Ryoma's outburst. Normally, he would fight back with his own retort, but Ryoma was not thinking clearly at the moment. Of course he wouldn't. His lover was just found killed in the most gruesome way possible and Marx had the nerve to ask Ryoma to remain calm.
"…Remain calm Ryoma." Marx repeated to him. "We need to carefully take her off the wall. We cannot allow her to remain in this horrible state."
While Marx and Pieri offer to help Ryoma take Crimson off the wall, Lazward stayed back trying to keep himself from going insane at the scene in front of him. He was used to seeing brutality like this, but the killer made it clear that anyone who tried to stop him would meet the same fate. Why was Lazward scared in comparison to everyone else who was filled with rage? It's because Lazward had an idea who the killer was and it wasn't Bayonetta. There was only one other person who could replicate the spell to make it look like a witch did it. He could not tattle on him now though seeing as how this is what happens to people who knew the truth.
I have to tell Selena and Odin though…they need to know that something terrible is going to happen really soon…and we need to decide what to do now!
Me: TBC with 7998 words.
Li: Crimson didn't even last a chapter!
Me: Well, she dies in canon, so it's not really a surprise. At least her child didn't die with her since he's already born. Notes!
1. All that money Bayonetta has made from making clothes is pretty much gone at this point. At the very least, Bayonetta has her weapons with her, so it's not a complete waste.
2. I think this chapter should give you enough information on who the real villain of this story is. It will be revealed very soon, but I wrote it in a way that it can confuse some people depending on if you played Disgaea 5 or not. Also, you readers might want to pay attention to who the traitor could be in Corrin's group now.
3. So in this story Ryoma/Crimson is a pairing even though it's short lived. Because of how there is no other realm in this AU, expect the whole "children from the future" thing instead with the Fates characters (if any) only because it makes more sense than just throwing your baby into another dimension and having them age up to fight.
4. Piercing Light as the name implies is one of Christo's special attacks where he impales his opponent with a barrage of icicles. It's so fast that it's difficult to avoid. Since this attack is used on demons, it wouldn't necessarily kill them. Since Christo is using it on a human, she died instantly. Disgaea attacks are known for being overkill.
That's it. Reviews are appreciated. Ja ne!