About time that I get this chapter written and uploaded! Hope you enjoy! (And Undertaker5, your request was granted: Onix makes its appearance in this chapter! Also, thank you, Oven-Mitt Troll for the Porygon idea!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon and Fire Emblem; they belong to Nintendo

Chapter 14: Dreams and a Sky Battle!

The Shepherds, after driving away the assassins and defeating the sorcerer Validar, spent the rest of the night at Castle Ylisstol getting some much needed sleep.

Red was asleep in his comfortable sleeping bag in his own tent, which was smaller than any other of the Shepherds' tents. As the sun gradually rose with its watercolor splashes of red and yellow, Red's mind began to drift.

Music track: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Benevolent Spirit

"…." Red looked around, seeing nothing but colors hazing and shifting in and out. "Where… where am I…?"

Red then remembered that he was in his sleeping bag earlier.

"Maybe… Is this a dream…?" he wondered before he squinted; he thought he saw something move in the hazy realm. "Oh? There's someone here."

He squinted more, trying to get a better look at the person. "Who is it…? Someone… I know…?"

The mysterious silhouette disappeared, fading into the haze like a phantom. However, the person, in the form of a tall green haired woman with pointed elf-like ears and what looked like a white and purple robe-like dress, reappeared right in front of him and spoke.

Music track: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team Base

The next morning, the Shepherds began to have breakfast, do some more combat training or pack up their belongings; they were planning to escort Emmeryn to a different castle for her safety; it was clear that Castle Ylisstol was no longer safe due to the late night assassination attempt.

Red wondered if that dream actually took place as he sat on the ground as he idly polished one of his Pokeballs while his breakfast of bread and milk sat at his side.

"I wonder what she meant…" he thought to himself.

"Red!" called a girl's voice.

Red looked up to see Lissa, Sumia and Munchlax in front of him. Munchlax appeared to have its mouth full as it tried to swallow its meal. The cleric and the pegasus knight each had a plate holding a slice of pie in their hands. The pie slices were warm and looked appetizing as steam rose from them.

"Oh?" was Red's response. "Good morning to you two!"

"Ta-da! Sumia and I made some pie and we're wondering if you'd like some!" said Lissa excitedly as she pushed the slice she had to the front of him, wanting Red to take it.

"Mmm…" Red sniffed the slice, liking the smell. "Don't mind if I do!"

The Pokemon trainer accepted the pie slice from Lissa and took a bite, chewed it and swallowed it.

"This is good!" he exclaimed, making Lissa blush a little and beam.

"H-hey!" cut in Sumia. "Don't leave me out! Try mine!"

She moved to hand Red her slice, but she suddenly tripped, sending the pie slice flying at him!

SPLAT!

"Well…" said Red. "That's… one way to give somebody food."

Sumia looked up after having planted her face onto the ground, expecting to see Red have his jacket or his face and cap covered with blueberry jam and pie crust. Fortunately for her, she saw that the pie and the plate had landed safely on his lap. However, the pie slice landed upside down, leaving itself as a purple and golden brown mess on the plate.

"Sorry!" cried out Sumia, mentally berating herself for her clumsiness as she wiped the dirt off from her face and her armor.

Red chuckled and shook his head. "Don't worry; accidents happen. Now, let's see how it tastes!"

He scooped up some of the filling and crust and ate it.

"Mm… this is also good! Are you two chefs or something?"

"Nah," replied Lissa. "We had a lot of practice."

She and Sumia, while blushing from his praise, both mentally grimaced at the number of times they made pies that are burnt, horrible tasting, or otherwise inedible… and the number of times that they had Munchlax act as a trash can for throwing out the poorly cooked food, figuratively.

Red finished his tasty pie slices and the bread and milk and got to work breaking camp. It didn't take too long before he was ready to go; his tent was much smaller when compared to the other tents used by the Shepherds, but the Pokemon trainer was almost always on the move during his journey back in his world and slept inside a sleeping bag.

He then remembered something.

"Oh yeah! I haven't seen or contacted Professor Oak and the others for a while now!" He was about to fumble through his backpack just to remember something else. "Oh yeah, the Pokenav wouldn't work… hmmm…"

He withdrew his Pokedex from his pants pocket. "Now that I think about it, it's rather strange that the PC still works… Let's see if I can try something…"

He fumbled through his bag to produce a notebook and a pen. He then scribbled some letters for Professor Oak, a researcher named Bill, his mother, and some Pokemon trainers he had met during his journey in various regions back in his home world, detailing his latest adventures (while leaving out the vision and his weird dream) and requesting some news of what happened back home. He then folded each letter in half and taped them closed before stacking them up neatly before he searched through his PC, getting out a rudimentary polygonal duck-like Pokemon, Porygon.

"Porygon, can you try and get these to Oak?" Red asked to the Virtual Pokemon.

Porygon looked at the small stack of letters that is now secured with some twine before it nodded. It picked up the letters by the twine before it disappeared into his Pokedex, traversing through cyberspace. Red finished packing up and met up with the other Shepherds as they got ready for the escort mission.

Music track: Fire Emblem Awakening: "The Vaike never forgets! I just don't always remember."

A couple hours later, with the morning sun still up in the air, Chrom and the Shepherds were out marching, escorting Emmeryn and an elderly man dressed in green priest robes. They were at a rugged mountain pass, making their way to an eastern castle where Emmeryn can stay at. The group stopped for a while to take a break from marching.

"Ugh, my poor feet…" groaned Lissa tiredly. "I've got blisters the size of eggs!"

"Oh, it's not so bad, Lissa. Just a healthy little stroll!" laughed Chrom before he turned to his tactician. "How are you holding up, Robin?"

"My legs feel like pudding..." panted Robin. "Your endurance astounds me, Chrom… and how are you still walking, Red?"

"As a Pokemon trainer, walking for very long periods of time is nothing new to me," replied Red. "And I have been travelling for several years now."

"When did you start?"

"I was only eleven years old when I got my first Pokemon and started my journey." Red smiled in fond memories.

"Red's done it longer than I did!" laughed Chrom. "Should I carry you, Robin?"

"You can carry me!" called out Lissa, making the others look at her oddly. "...No, seriously. I would really be okay with you carrying me."

The green-robed man also watched the sight amusedly, but was also seemed to be in thought. "Hmm…"

"Is something troubling you, Hierarch?" queried Frederick. "You keep glancing up at the peaks."

The hierarch fidgeted and kept looking around himself. "Hmm? Oh, I'm just a b-bit nervous I'm afraid. Gh-ghastly times, these!"

"Chrom, who's that?" asked Robin as he took a good look at the nervous elderly man for the first time.

"The hierarch? He's been a friend of House Ylisse for many years," replied Chrom. "He guided Emmeryn during the early years of her rule. Why do you ask?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it, but something feels... "

All of a sudden, a duo of red-clothed brigands suddenly ran up to them.

"… off." Robin finished as from the corner of his eye, the hierarch had run off.

"Grah ha hah!" laughed one of them. "Time to die, princey!"

"Plegian soldiers?" grimaced Chrom. "Damn! How did they know we were here? Everyone! Prepare for battle!"

While the Shepherds organized themselves, Red drew out a Pokeball from his belt before he and the others watched a strange sight.

Music track: Pokemon Black 2 and White 2: Team Plasma, Again.

The leader of the group of brigands, Vasto, a wyvern rider, took a long and loud sniff of the air.

"Ahhhhhhhhh... Smell that, men?" he crowed. "The winds of fortune are blowing our way!"

The Shepherds gasped when they saw that the elderly hierarch ran up to the brigands.

"Hold, sir!" the hierarch called out to Vasto. "I am the man King Gangrel told you about! Did you not receive orders to take me into your protection?"

"I've orders to protect a man, true..." conceded the cocky commander before his lips became contorted into a disgusted sneer. "But I see no man here! ...Only a pig! A rasher of traitorous bacon that sold out his own sovereign! And what do we do with little piggies, mmm?"

The hierarch's eyes widened before he squirmed in fear. "Well, you... I mean, perhaps... You let them go free?"

"Oh, are you a chicken now? Bawk bawk-hahahahaha!" laughed Vasto maniacally. "We've a whole barnyard in our midst, men! Well, it don't matter what you are. The butcher's axe will fall just the same!"

"Eeeeeeeeeeeek!"

The hierarch made to run, but he did not go far before he was surrounded by some of the Plegian foot soldiers who barred his escape. With his being no longer able to get away, one of the brigands kicked him onto the ground before he raised his axe with both hands above his head. In one fell swoop, the axe landed with a squelchy, sickening crunch. Blood sprayed everywhere in the ring of brigands before the now-deceased hierarch's head rolled onto the ground, with his glasses shattered and twisted on his face.

"Right! Now for the main event!" boasted Vasto. "By moon's end, they'll be erecting statues of me in the capital! Ho there! Ylisseans! Give me the Fire Emblem and your wench of a ruler, and spare yourselves a gory end like we gave that old coward!"

Chrom grit his teeth. "Phila, take Emmeryn to the rear of the column. We'll fend off these blackguards!"

Music track: Pokemon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum: Team Galactic Commander Battle

With the exalt safely aboard Phila's equine mount, the Shepherds got ready for battle.

"Some grounded enemies… and some flying ones," muttered Robin before he turned to the Pokemon trainer. "Red, you ready?"

"Got you covered," replied Red as he tossed the Pokeball into the air. "Go, Onix! Use Dig!"

Whatever the Pokemon was had disappeared before anybody saw it; it had already burrowed into the ground, leaving a large hole in it. As the Shepherds and the brigands fought, they felt something rumbling under the ground.

"What the hell?!" screeched one of the brigands as they all paused briefly.

Suddenly, the ground burst open, sending grass, dirt and rocks into the air as a gigantic nine meter serpent that appeared to be made of rocks tunneled out with a loud roar. Several of the grounded brigands were sent flying from the impact of Onix's appearance while several of the wyvern riders had to swerve out of the way from the debris. The Shepherds immediately knew that that was Red's doing.

"Great job, Onix!" Red praised, pleased that his surprise attack worked. "Now, use Screech and turn it into a Roar!"

The Rock Snake Pokemon reared up and opened its giant maw. A loud, horrifyingly grinding sound was emitted from its mouth, disorienting the brigands and the wyvern riders. The wyverns suffered horribly as they bucked to and fro, as if trying to throw their riders off of their backs. Onix then intensified the sound waves to the point that the brigands and the wyverns were sent hurtling through the air, pushed by the powerful sonic waves. The brigands were scattered, making the effort of defeating each one much easier for the Shepherds.

The wyvern riders quickly regrouped and tried to swoop in on the Shepherds.

"Onix, Dragonbreath attack!" called out Red.

Onix roared and fired off a green stream of fire from its mouth, knocking several wyvern riders out of the air, sending them to their doom. The Shepherds were safe from the enemy flyers for the time being.

Just then, a pegasus knight with long red hair flew in on her pegasus mount. She looked very exhausted.

"What in the world is that?!" she wondered as she watched Onix moved its body around to and fro, sending the brigands flying with powerful swings of its tail. Her eyes widened upon the sight of the red-clothed soldiers. "No! The Plegians here as well?!"

She watched as several of the Shepherds fought off the brigands while her childhood friend, Sumia, the prince and exalt's younger sister and what looked like a large rabbit-like beast protect a young boyish man whom she realized was commanding the giant serpentine creature.

"Prince Chrom! Captain Phila!" she called out. "Beware! Enemy reinforcements to the rear! They'll be upon us soon!"

"Is that…?" wondered Phila out loud before she looked. "Gods, Cordelia?!"

"Cordelia?" asked Robin.

"She's one of my knights. Young yet, but quite gifted. But she was stationed on the border... Why...? Oh, gods! Could it mean...?"

Sure enough, true to Cordelia's warning, several more wyvern riders appeared from the horizon, brandishing their axes. Red was prepared to counter the reinforcements.

"Onix, use your Stone Edge attack at the incoming wyvern knights!"

The giant Rock-Ground type roared before it conjured up rings of glowing jagged stones around its body before they were fired at the flying enemies. The Stone Edge hit several of them, easily shredding against the wyverns' wings, making the wyverns roar in pain before they and their masters plummeted to the ground.

Vasto had enough and flew down from above the mountain peaks, angry that his troops were being smashed easily and can easily tell that the Pokemon trainer and his Onix were responsible. His wyvern stayed airborne from just a few feet off the ground in front of Red before he raised his steel axe.

"I'll splatter you across the canyon floor, boy!" he snarled furiously.

Red responded by pulling off another Pokeball from his belt and threw it into the air as the Shepherds made to move to protect him. "Go, Unfezant! Let's make this a sky battle!"

Music track: Pokemon: The Origin: Trainer Battle

In a ball of white light, a large grey-winged bird with dark grey feathers at his upper body and green feathers at his lower body appeared. What made the bird Pokemon stand out was his large red wattle that adorned his head around his eyes. The wattle also had ribbon-like extensions.

"Pah!" snorted Vasto dismissively as he stared down at the male Unfezant. "An overgrown bird? How can that stop me? It looks fit to be on my dinner plate instead of on the battlefield!"

The wyvern riding commander urged his wyvern on, charging at Unfezant, ready to cut him down.

"Onix, go help the other Shepherds and fend off the wyvern riders with Stone Edge!" ordered Red to the Rock Snake Pokemon behind him before he turned to Unfezant. "Unfezant, get into the air with Fly!"

The Proud Pokemon quickly flapped his wings and flew into the air, letting Vasto's charge sail under him harmlessly. Vasto grit his teeth and ordered his wyvern to continuing flying at him, trying to hit the large game bird with his axe.

"Dodge with Detect!" called out Red.

The Normal-Flying type Pokemon's eyes glinted before he executed the move. Just as Vasto's aerial axe swing almost connected, he quickly flew to the side, making Vasto overextend his swing and nearly fall off his wyvern.

"Tch!" growled Vasto. "So close!"

"Now, Unfezant, Taunt!" ordered Red.

"Un! Unfezant!" laughed the Proud Pokemon. None of the Shepherds or the brigands knew what the Pokemon was saying, but they recognized the tone. The wyvern clearly did, too, as it angrily roared and charged at him quickly. It flew at such a surprisingly fast speed that Unfezant, which had just finished its boastful jeering, did not react in time and got hit with slamming force. Unfezant began to fall, crying out in pain.

"Unfezant!" cried out Red in worry. "Are you alright? Use Roost!"

Unfezant nodded before it managed to stop itself from falling and flew over to one of the nearby trees and landed at one of the branches. With a cry, his body glowed brightly. In a matter of seconds, the bruise on one of his wings faded, as if he never got hit in the first place.

The wyvern was not satisfied after landing a hit on the Unfezant and wanted more. Against Vasto's command to remain in the air, it charged right at the tree, ready to slam into the bird Pokemon again.

"Now, Unfezant, Fly into the air once more!" countered Red.

Unfezant quickly obeyed and took off back into the air, avoiding the wyvern's headlong charge. The wyvern was not as fortunate as it smashed headfirst into the tree where Unfezant had used Roost. However, even with its scaly head covered with bark and splinters, it quickly recovered and flew after it.

Vasto growled angrily at being outsmarted by a boy and his bird. "After that cursed bird thing!"

"Tailwind!" called out Red.

Unfezant quickly flapped his wings before he began to perform a fast and dizzying barrel roll, whipping up a large, turbulent whirlwind around himself. He began to fly through the air at zooming speeds.

"After it!" shouted Vasto, making the wyvern fly after him.

"Swagger!" commanded Red.

The Proud Pokemon stopped and took on an intimidating midair pose with a loud cry. His body glowed red, with the glow fading away quickly. The red glow was soon seen again, this time on the now confused and dizzy wyvern's eyes.

The wyvern lurched wildly, snapping its jaws everywhere as it nearly threw Vasto off of his saddle. It kept flying erratically in random directions, slamming itself into the ground and against the rocky cliff faces, injuring itself and its rider.

"Oi!" called out Vasto as he desperately tried to get his wyvern mount back under control. "Listen to me, ya useless brute!"

"Now, Air Cutter!" added Red.

Unfezant let out a loud battle cry before he flapped his wings, sending shuriken-like blades of wind at the confused wyvern. Vasto and his wyvern were sent hurtling through the air with cuts on their bodies.

"Now, finish them with Sky Attack!" called out the Pokemon trainer with a sweep of his arm.

The large pheasant Pokemon flew straight up high into the air, going farther and farther from the ground to the sun before he became a glinting speck. He then dived down at Vasto and his wyvern, cloaked in a blindingly harsh white light. The powerful kamikaze-like nosedive smashed into the wyvern's back, sending it and its rider shooting down at the ground with a loud crash, complete with a large plume of dust and dirt kicked up from the impact.

"You doves think...killing me will change anything?" laughed Vasto mirthlessly as blood dripped from the corners of his mouth as he smirked nastily at Emmeryn, who was still safely aboard with Phila and her pegasus mount. "Heh... Even now, my brothers storm across your precious border... Go on, dear exalted coward! Run! Flee while they slaughter your subjects! Save yourself... Let their faith in you...bleed away...with the rest..."

His body fell limp on top of his dead wyvern mount. Vasto died.

At once, the remaning enemy troops, upon seeing their dead commander, quickly fled. They knew that their attack on the Shepherds and Emmeryn had failed. No more arrived.

Music track: Fire Emblem Awakening: "Someone has to save you from your good intentions."

Chrom looked around the now silent battlefield, filled with the corpses of dead Plegians they had defeated as Red recalled Onix and Unfezant back into their Pokeballs. "They're… gone…"

Cordelia quickly flew on her pegasus over to them.

"Your Grace! My prince!" she called out worriedly to the Ylissean prince as she dismounted. "Run! As far and fast as you can! More Plegians are coming, not a half day's march behind you!"

"Cordelia, what are you doing here?" demanded Phila who also dismounted herself from her pegasus. "...Tell me the border remains secure!"

"That I could, milady! But it would be false... Gangrel himself led his might against us! The end was upon us when my knight-sisters begged me fly and warn the exalt... I should have stayed... I should have stayed! Ah, gods, I can still hear the screams..."

Cordelia broke down into choking sobs, tears streaming down her face as she remembered her fallen comrades-in-arms. Phila shook her head somberly and put both of her hands on the young pegasus knight's shoulders.

"Peace, Cordelia," she reassured her firmly. "You did your duty. The sisters rightly prized your youth. You've many years yet to keep their legacy alive."

"But I abandoned them!" Cordelia countered, angry at herself. "I'm weak... Their legacy deserves better."

Phila took a deep breath and looked at her in the eye.

"Sometimes fleeing takes the most courage. They knew that. Now pull yourself together. Let the faith they showed in you give you strength."

Phila's words of wisdom only made Cordelia more choked up in tears.

"Captain Phila, I... How can I go on like this?" she sobbed. "They were my...my family... Gods... Oh, gods..."

Music track: Fire Emblem Awakening: "Dry your tears, love. This is not good-bye."

The others watched on in sadness, anger and pity. Chrom's fist tightened.

"Damn those monsters!" cursed Chrom.

"Chrom," said Emmeryn gravely. "I must return to the capital."

"Your Grace, I cannot advise—" started Phila.

"I should never have left. If it's discovered I'm away when this news comes to light... The people could panic. Riot. More Ylisseans could needlessly die. Here, Chrom. I entrust this to you."

The Exalt walked over to one of the convoy wagons and got something. She held out what looked like a large and old golden shield to her younger brother. Five round indents can be seen on it. The topmost one had a large and pale-colored sphere secured in it.

"The Fire Emblem?" gasped Chrom.

"Take it to Ferox—to safety," his older sister replied.

"And leave you? No, Emm."

"No part of House Ylisse matters more than the Emblem. It possesses tremendous power. But too much blood has been shed over it already. I hope it finds a better guardian in you than it did me."

"Emm, come on. You can't... Don't talk like that! You sound like you're ready to give up..."

"I am not giving up, Chrom. I am only giving what I can."

"Emm, please! This is madness!"

"Sis, wait!" pleaded Lissa. "Let me go with you!"

"Stay with Chrom, Lissa," replied Emmeryn. "I command it."

"This isn't fair! It's not fair! I know our people need you, but we need you, too!"

"Dry your tears, love. This is not good-bye."

Phila sighed, knowing that the Exalt's mind was set. "Your Grace, the pegasus knights will accompany you to Ylisstol."

"Very well, Phila," said Emmeryn. "Thank you."

"I will keep the prince and princess safe, Your Grace," declared Frederick. "You have my word."

The Exalt smiled. "I know you will, Frederick. Thank you."

"It is my honor."

Phila turned to Cordelia, who had just finished wiping her tears away.

"Cordelia," she said. "You will stay here with Chrom."

Cordelia was surprised as she was still mourning for her dead comrades. "But, Captain—"

"I know your heart is heavy, but this is how it must be. Your knight-sisters will be with you in spirit, wherever you go."

"...May they give me strength. As you command, Captain. I will pray for your safety."

"Come, Phila," ordered Emmeryn. "We must go."

"No! You don't have to go!" cried out Chrom pleadingly. "This is absurd!"

"Chrom, you don't—"

"Walking to your own death will not bring peace to anyone! Ylisse needs you. WE need you! Be selfish for once in your life!"

Emmeryn looked at Chrom in the eye, with her eyes filled with sisterly love. "I love you, Chrom. Both you and Lissa are my everything. As for the peace I seek... You cannot see who it is for. I have to go. I'm sorry—I truly am. Let us embrace again in Ylisstol when you arrive with Feroxi reinforcements. I know you will come."

Chrom shook his head. "This is a terrible plan."

"The blood of the first exalt flows strong in us. You and I will keep Ylisse safe. I believe it with all my heart. Safe journey, Chrom. Safe journey, Lissa."

With that, the Exalt and Phila left for Ylisstol. Chrom moved to stop them.

"Emm... Emm?! Ah..."

Music track: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: World Paralysis

Hours later, the Shepherds had arrived at Regna Ferox, feeling rather morose.

"B-but she's safe inside the castle, right?" reassured Lissa to a demoralized Chrom. "Phila and the others will protect her! And Khan Flavia is assembling her best troops as we speak. We'll make it back home in time. I know we will!"

Chrom said nothing.

"Chrom? Say something! Say, 'Yes, of course we will!'"

Chrom heard her this time and shook himself out of his trance-like state. "...I'm sorry, Lissa. What?"

"Ugh, fine!" snorted Lissa, frustrated with her brother. "Never mind! Let me know when you get out of your own head for a second!"

Chrom resumed his trance-like state. Sumia decided to take charge and walked up to him.

"Snap out of it, Captain!" she snapped and sent out a surprisingly hard punch into Chrom's face.

Music track: Fire Emblem Awakening: "Agh! Won goph in mah mouph! Blech! Ptooey!"

Flavia had just entered the empty arena and saw the amusing sight. Red, Robin and Lissa were busy sniggering at Sumia's punch. Fortunately, the punch had the desired effect.

"Best Mega Punch I've ever seen!" laughed Red as he held his stomach from laughing so hard.

"OW! ...What the hell was that for?!" screamed Chrom as an angry red mark was left on his cheek.

"Oh no! ...Did I do it wrong?" asked Sumia worriedly. "Captain Phila said sometimes a good slap will break someone out of their doldrums."

"Sumia, when you slap someone, you do it with an open palm," corrected Lissa, still giggling. "You just punched Chrom in the face!"

"Um... It's the thought that counts?"

"Gods, that seriously hurt..." groaned Chrom, rubbing his sore cheek.

"Ha ha! What's wrong, my dear prince? Sometimes love hurts! You're lucky to have strong women like these, and not just dainty flowers about," laughed Flavia. "In any case, I bring good news. The Feroxi army has finally mobilized. Every last man is itching to fight. I must say, I'm looking forward to savoring a skirmish or two myself."

"...Wait. You're coming along?"

"Of course! A khan must have her fun. I'm even bringing my insignificant other."

"Your who?" queried Robin.

"Basilio," answered Flavia. "The oaf isn't good for much, but he might stop a few stray arrows."

Music track: Fire Emblem Awakening: "Something is very wrong."

Later, Flavia, Chrom and few of his Shepherds arrived at the Feroxi throne room. Basilio was waiting for them.

"Chrom!" greeted the muscular man. "Good gods, I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Is something wrong?" asked the Ylissean prince.

"Our scouts have reported back. Dark news, I'm afraid... Ylisstol...has fallen."

"WHAT?!" screeched Chrom while the others gasped at the news.

Music track: Pokemon: The Origin: Team Rocket Hideout

"The Plegians captured your exalt and retreated back across their lines," elaborated Basilio. "Gangrel has declared she's to be publicly executed within the moon."

"E-executed?!"

"Ooooh..." Lissa groaned as she wobbled on her feet and leaned onto Red, feeling faint.

"Lissa? Lissa!" called out Robin and Red to her, hoping that she did not just faint.

"The dastard's not even trying to be subtle anymore," growled Flavia.

"I agree," said Robin. "It's an obvious trap."

"The Mad King knew our scouts would relay this information back," added Basilio grimly. "It's clearly a provocation—a hot brand to the buttocks! We should consider our options carefully before jumping to any—"

"Shepherds! We march to Plegia!" commanded Chrom.

The West Khan cleared his throat. "Well, that would be ONE option, yes... But perhaps we've seen enough royalty waltzing into traps for one war already, eh?"

"I don't care if it's a trap, Basilio. He's going to murder my sister!"

"Peace, Chrom," placated Flavia. "Breathe a moment. No one's suggesting we don't act. We're simply saying we should act WISELY. We'll need guts AND wits in equal measure if we're to save your sister."

"The khans are right," added Robin. "I'll think of something, Chrom. I promise."

"...All right, Robin," conceded Chrom. "I leave it to you to formulate our strategy."

"Are you certain you're up to the task, Robin?" asked Flavia. "It won't be easy. You hold the exalt's life in one hand, and all of ours in the other."

"A responsibility I do not take lightly," agreed the white-haired tactician. "But I am equal to the challenge."

"Ha ha! You've got stones, at least. I like that!"

"No hesitation, no mincing words..." added Basilio. "He's either a genius or a fool! I suppose we'll find out once we march. Hold on to your tassets, Ylisseans. We've an exalt to save!"

The rallying cry was soon cut short as a loud explosion can be heard not too far away from Regna Ferox; the Shepherds and the khans can hear what sounded like armies marching out in the snowy mountain sides rearing for battle.

Sorry for the long wait, readers! College is a pain and I've been sidetracked by playing games such as Team Fortress 2, Kamidori Alchemy Meister and Pokémon X. I've also watched and enjoyed the Pokémon: The Origin with English subtitles.

Once again, reviews are welcome.

One another note, I'm going to open up a poll for you readers to vote on: which girl should Robin marry?

The choices are the following (for the case of the last 2 options, if either of them wins this poll, a follow up poll will take place):

Lucina

Cordelia

Tharja

Anna

Sully

Miriel

One of the second generation girls (Kjelle, Cynthia, Severa, Nah, Noire)

One of the post-chapter 13 girls (Tiki, Say'ri, Flavia, Emmeryn, Aversa)

The poll will be open after a different poll is finished (which Unova dragon Pokémon should Red face first? This poll will remain open until November 22nd, so be sure to get your votes in!).