Tronmaster: Again, it should be a damn no-brainer, but I need to say this. I own NOTHING except any OC's. RWBY and all related properties are owned by Rooster Teeth. And Fire Emblem, along with any associated characters and settings are property of Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.
Alicia: You have no idea how much this is bothering Tronmaster, but hey, it doesn't interfere with the chapters themselves.
Jenkins: But besides this, the only other one he's done this with is Borderlands: Remnant Minds.
Melody: Can we not focus on this?
Hector: Mel's right, let's get to the chapter!
[Jaune P.O.V.]
After a quick rest up in the Astral Plane, we returned to Hoshido, to hopefully gather up allies for the coming fight. We found our way outside a place called Fort Jinya.
"Listen carefully: Fort Jinya is just ahead." Gunter said, "The fort is sure to be well defended by Hoshidan soldiers."
"Let's try to reach out to them." Corrin said.
"Milady, didn't you say that you'd been branded as a traitor?" Gunter asked, "These soldiers have likely been ordered to attack you on sight."
"Also, what are we gonna do with these three?" Yang asked, hiking a thumb to Leo, Odin and Niles.
"Shit. I didn't think about that." Corrin cursed.
"Anyone have any rope?" Tai asked, everyone looked around before Raven sighed, holding out some rope.
"Um, Rae, why exactly do you have rope on you?" Summer asked.
"In case our daughters and their friends had gone native." Raven said.
"Oh no. No way. There is NO way you lot are tying us up." Leo said.
"C'mon Leo, let's try and make it convincing." Neptune said.
"Leo, we need to secure allies, and if we can convince the Hoshidans to side with us, the quicker we are to ending this war." Blake said, trying to convince Leo.
Leo just stared at Blake for a few moments before sighing.
"Alright. Niles, Odin, let's... just get this over with." Leo said begrudgingly.
After a few minutes, and some awkward positions, we got the three Nohrians tied up, Yatsu hefting them over his shoulder.
"At least we won't need to worry about that curse." Nora said.
"Right, because of what Ruby suggested back at the Bottomless Canyon." Azura said, "Still, we need to choose our words carefully."
"Still, we have to try and talk to them." Corrin said.
"Yeah, no one wants this war to continue forever. Surely some of them will listen." I said, joining the conversation.
"And what happens if they won't listen?" Qrow asked.
"Then we just, as Qrow so elegantly put it, 'half-ass' it." Winter answered.
"All right, here goes nothing." Corrin said, as we got closer to the fort, "If I speak from the heart, I'm certain everyone in Hoshido will understand."
We approached the front gate of the fort, Leo, Niles, and Odin still tied up and gagged by one of Blake's spare ribbons. And something felt, off.
"So this is Fort Jinya..." Corrin said, "Have the Hoshidan forces abandoned it? It's so quiet here..."
"Yeah, a little too quiet for my taste." Qrow said.
As Qrow said that, Yukimura, I think his name was, walked forward. And he didn't look happy.
"Ah! Yukimura..." Corrin said.
"You have some nerve showing your face around here, Lady Traitor." Yukimura said.
"Jeez man, that's a bit harsh, wasn't it?" Coco asked.
"And I'd rather not have to deal with your bad attitude, Miss Adel." Yukimura spat, "In any event, the same goes for you, Lady Azura. You were raised like any other princess of Hoshido, and yet... You seem to have had no trouble turning your back to us when it suited you. I suppose you never truly thought of this kingdom as your home..."
"Wait, Yukimura, let us explain for a moment." I said.
"And Jaune, you and Pyrrha were appointed as Corrin's retainers by Lady Mikoto, yet you would disgrace her memory by still siding with that, traitor?" Yukimura asked.
"That doesn't even begin to... Look, we have prisoners from Nohr." I said, motioning to the still tied up and gagged Leo, Odin and Niles.
"And you think that bringing some Nohrians here instantly means that you come in good faith?" Yukimura asked.
"Well, kinda?" I asked, shrugging my shoulders.
"Then you truly are as naïve as I thought you were." Yukimura said.
"Y-you're wrong, Yukimura! It's like Jaune was saying, we haven't betrayed Hoshido at all!" Corrin said, "I'm not the enemy, and neither is Nohr!"
"Yeah, if you would only listen..." Ruby added.
"Silence! I won't let you try and justify your betrayal." Yukimura said.
"Please, Yukimura..." Corrin said.
"We did not expect this to be too easy." Gunter said, "It's unfortunate, but we should prepare ourselves for a battle."
"Well, looks like negotiations broke down." Summer said, turning to Ren, "Ren, cut Leo and the others loose!"
Ren nodded, and used StormFlower's blades to cut the rope off of Leo and his retainers, Velvet handing Leo back Brynhildr.
"Thank you Velvet." Leo said, as Shadowfax galloped up to Leo, who climbed up on him.
"Yukimura... Just hear me out!" Corrin said.
"I do not have time to listen to your poisonous words." Yukimura said, "You abandoned your friends and family. I wouldn't be surprised if you'd helped the Nohrians capture Lord Takumi!"
"Wait, Takumi's been captured?!" Pyrrha said.
"Well, fuck." Winter said.
"And on top of everything else, Lord Ryoma has gone missing..." Yukimura said.
"Ryoma... Missing?" Winter said, her tone shifting quickly.
"It can't be... My brothers are-" Corrin said, before Yukimura cut her off.
"Your brothers?! You dare think of yourself as a member of the royal family?" Yukimura said, enraged, "Thanks to you, ill has befallen Hoshido's best and bravest. Ruby, Yang, even your uncle Falco has become saddened by your betrayal."
"Oh come on, that's bullshit!" Yang said, "Uncle Falco tried to stop Ryoma from doing something stupid!"
"I've heard enough!" Yukimura said.
"I... I'm sorry. I never meant for-" Corrin said before Yukimura cut her off again.
"I don't want your apologies. I want you to atone for your crimes." Yukimura said, "Guards! Capture the traitors!" He shouted.
"Will you not listen to me?" Corrin asked sadly, "Our real enemy is elsewhere..."
"Corrin, he won't listen." I said, putting my hand on her shoulder, "I know it's not what you want to do, but we have to fight them."
"Argh! I know Jaune." Corrin said, "This is so damn frustrating."
"I know Corrin, I know..." I said.
[No P.O.V.]
"Alright, what's the plan, milady?" Jakob asked, readying his knife.
"Yeah, I'm curious about that too." Felicia said.
"We move throughout the fort, and incapacitate any and all Hoshidan soldiers." Corrin said, "I'd rather avoid anymore bloodshed."
"Fair enough. Knock out the Hoshidan soldiers." Tai said.
Raven however, wasn't a fan of Corrin's plan.
'Really? Even after Yukimura straight up called her a traitor, Corrin's still planning on showing him mercy?' Raven thought, but didn't voice. Mainly because she was slightly afraid of Corrin's dragon form.
"So, we take Yukimura out of the fight, and the Hoshidans will have to listen, right?" Summer asked.
"Yeah, pretty much." Jaune said.
"Alright, works for me." Summer said.
"Um, guys, we might have a problem." Ruby said, "Or four..."
"What?" Corrin asked.
"There are two Hoshidan soldiers with naginatas flanking us." Winter clarified, "And another two on Pegasai?"
"Ah, gotcha." Corrin said.
Suddenly, one of the Hoshidan soldiers, an Oni Savage charged at Corrin, only to have his Iron Club blocked by a strike from Raven's Odachi.
"Nice save Rae." Summer said, kicking the Oni Savage into the fort's wall, knocking him out.
"I honestly wish that Corrin wasn't so damn merciful." Raven mumbled to herself.
While that was going on, both the Hoshidan Spear Fighters, as well as both of the Pegasus Knights were knocked out by Velvet and Odin.
"Nice work on the fire spell, disarming the Spear Fighters Odin." Velvet said.
"Heh, thanks Velvet. And, quite the impressive feat, taking on both of the Pegasus Knights." Odin said.
Meanwhile, Ren had disarmed the Samurai on the right, inside the fortress. While Pyrrha used her Semblance to disarm the other Samurai, as well as the ninja, allowing Blake and Leo to knock both out.
"Alright! Let's keep this up!" Ruby said, shooting the yumi out of the hands of an Archer, while Weiss froze the Shrine Maiden in place.
"Talk about the cold shoulder, eh Weiss cream?" Yang said earning a groan from most everyone, the Hoshidan soldiers included.
"Ugh, goddammit Yang." Leo said, facepalming.
"Gods, that was terrible!" Said the Archer Ruby disarmed.
"If you think that's bad, try being related to her." Ruby said.
"I f-feel s-sorry for y-you." The Shrine Maiden said, shivering.
As that was going on, Corrin, Gunter, and team JNPR had pushed their way past several more Hoshidan soldiers, and reaching near Yukimura's location. Before being stopped by Orochi. the retainer to the late Queen Mikoto.
"I am Orochi, retainer to Lady Mikoto, the late Queen of Hoshido." Orochi said, introducing herself to the six in front of her, "I can never forgive what you have done. I will avenge Lady Mikoto!"
"Look, Orochi, was it?" Jaune asked, "We didn't want to fight you, but we need to speak with Yukimura, so it looks like we've got no choice."
"Spare me the talk, traitor! Submit to my magic!" Orochi shouted, before using her Rat Spirit scroll to attack, Jaune just barely able to block it.
"GWAAAH!" Jaune cried out.
"Jaune!" Corrin shouted, "Are you alright?"
"M-Monty Oum! Th-that's cold!" Jaune said, shivering slightly.
"He's fine." Corrin said.
"You hurt my friend and team leader!" Nora shouted, time to smash some legs!" She added, swinging Magnhild, intent of crippling Orochi, when suddenly, several shuriken struck Nora, paralyzing her.
"Nora!" Ren shouted, running toward his down partner, when he was suddenly attacked by the red haired ninja Saizo.
While Ren was fighting with Saizo, Corrin and Pyrrha were charging Orochi. Pyrrha bashing the Rat Spirit scroll out of Orochi's hand with Akuo, while Corrin sliced at Orochi with Yato, causing her to fly back.
"Gah! My skills need more refining if you are able to defeat me..." Orochi said, "I'm sorry, Yukimura, but I must retreat!" She added, falling back.
"I hope she can forgive us." Pyrrha said sadly.
"Yeah, same here." Corrin said, as Jaune got up off the floor.
[With Ren]
While Corrin and Pyrrha took Orochi out of the fight, Ren was clashing StormFlower's blades with those of Saizo, one of Ryoma's retainers.
"I am Saizo, retainer to Lord Ryoma." Saizo said in a stern voice, "I am certain that you and your compatriots are to blame for my lord's disappearance."
"My name is Lie Ren, and I can assure you Saizo, we're not responsible for Ryoma's disappearance." Ren said.
"Enough! I will not-I cannot-forgive your betrayal." Saizo said, "You don't honestly think you can stand against me, do you?"
"You hurt the oldest friend I've had, the girl, no, woman whom I'm unashamed to admit that I've fallen in love with..." Ren said, "I'll make you pay for that!" He shouted, as Saizo suddenly appeared, and threw an Iron Shuriken at Ren, who proceeded to shoot it out of the air, and before Saizo could escapee into the shadows, Ren struck, disarming Saizo, and roundhouse kicking him in the chest, making the one-eyed ninja drop to a single knee.
"Grah! I can't die here..." Saizo said, "For Lord Ryoma's sake, I must retreat for now and live to fight another day..." He finished, disappearing into thin air.
"Ugh, my head..." Nora groaned, getting up.
"Nora, are you OK?" Ren asked, helping Nora up.
"Y-yeah, I just feel dizzy." Nora said, using Magnhild to support herself, "Damn shuriken cut through my Aura."
"They were probably enchanted or something." Said a familiar voice.
"What the?!"" Ren said, when Kaze appeared before the two.
"Kaze? What are you doing here?" Ren asked, ready to fight.
"Relax Ren, I came here not to fight, but to join you and Lady Corrin." Kaze said, making the NR of JNPR stare at him.
[With Corrin, Jaune and Pyrrha]
Corrin, Jaune and Pyrrha were now standing in front of Yukimura, readying for a fight.
"Lady Mikoto... I hope you understand what I must do, wherever you are..." Yukimura said, readying a Steel Dagger, "I will deal with those who would harm Hoshido..."
"Alright, I've had enough of this." Jaune said, raising his shield and charging at Yukimura, who proceeded to use his mechanical puppet to leap over Jaune and attempt to strike him, if not for Pyrrha's timely use of her Semblance.
"Yukimura, we just want to talk." Pyrrha said.
"Yeah, the last thing we wanted was to fight you!" Jaune said.
"Yukimura, please see reason!" Corrin said.
"I've heard enough of your traitorous prattle!" Yukimura shouted.
With that, Yukimura tossed a Steel Dagger at Pyrrha, forgetting about her Semblance.
'For as smart as Yukimura is, he sure can have his dumb moments.' Jaune said, his eyebrow twitching.
Corrin decided to end this by knocking Yukimura off of his puppet with a swift strike with Yato. This knocked the tactician and mechanist to the ground, Orochi and Saizo not too far behind.
"Can this really be true?!" Yukimura cried out, "So... be it... I admit defeat..." He finished, as teams RWBY, CFVY, STRQ, Sun, Neptune, Winter, Leo, Odin and Niles met up with Corrin and the others.
[Corrin P.O.V.]
After defeating Yukimura, we had him, Orochi, and a red haired ninja backed into a corner.
"I don't understand... We're defeated... Why don't you kill us?" Yukimura asked.
"Cause that's not what we came here to do." Jaune said, sheathing Crocea Mors, "We just wanted to talk."
"Jaune's correct, we didn't kill a single Hoshidan soldier here." I said, "So there's no need to continue this senseless violence. I know how to end it!"
"However, we need your help in order to do it." Jaune said.
"Ugh... Helping you means turning against Hoshido." Yukimura said, "And although I do appreciate you sparing the lives of the soldiers here, I can't believe you. How can I trust someone who has turned against everything I love?"
"Y-yeah! We'll only trust you if you can bring back all the lives you've taken!" Orochi said, "Return Lady Mikoto, and maybe we'll listen!"
"Look, Orochi, if I could trade myself for Mikoto, I would. But you know damn well that life isn't like that." Jaune said, "I wish I could just turn back time and save Mikoto before she was killed, Oum I do, but it's because of Mikoto's sacrifice that my resolve is hardened. So, for what it's worth, and for you it doesn't seem like much, but I'm sorry I couldn't save Mikoto."
"There is no other way..." The red haired ninja, Saizo, I think his name was? said, "I must sacrifice myself to rid our lands of these Nohrian fiends..." He added, before pulling out a bomb?! "I'll show you what true dedication and loyalty mean! Gaaaaaaah!" He shouted.
"Is he fucking insane?!" Weiss shouted.
"He'd be killing us, but also his allies!" Leo shouted.
"Get back! He intends to sacrifice himself in attacking us!" Gunter shouted.
"Saizo, stop!" I shouted, trying to reason with him.
"I believe in Hoshido... Even if I must give my life, I will stop you! Raaaaww!" Saizo roared.
'Weiss is right, he's fucking mental!' I thought.
"No, Brother! You're wrong!" Kaze said, suddenly appearing with Ren, Nora, and, Sakura?!
"Stop, please! Saizo, d-don't hurt my sister!" Sakura yelled.
"Kaze! Sakura!" Ruby shouted.
"Why are you interfering?" Saizo asked, "These people deserve their fate. They've turned against Hoshido!"
"Brother, you mustn't be so rash! Both Lady Corrin and Jaune are trustworthy!" Kaze said, "When I was a prisoner in Nohr, it was Corrin and Jaune who let me escape! They saved me-an enemy-without worrying about what would happen for doing so."
"Corrin is... a very kind person." Sakura said, "And Jaune is also kindhearted. Look! Even d-during this battle, they didn't kill a single defender! Why would they do that if they had truly betrayed Hoshido?! There must be a reason! Please, just listen to them!" Sakura finished.
"Grrrr..." Saizo growled, before extinguishing the fuse on the bomb.
"Thank you, Brother..." Kaze said.
"Hmph. This doesn't mean I trust them. But I will listen to what she has to say." Saizo said.
"Our real enemy is not in Nohr or hidden in Hoshido. It lies somewhere else..." I said, as Jaune continued.
"It's an invisible kingdom of sorts, the one responsible for bringing the Creatures of Grimm here." Jaune said, "And this kingdom is led by a powerful mage, who placed a curse, that whoever speaks his name, or the name of the kingdom, the curse will track down whoever it was, and kill them."
"Gods. Orochi breathed.
"Yes, the explosion in Hoshido, the death of my mother, the arrival of the Grimm... These events weren't set in motion by King Garon, but by this third party." I said.
"So that's it? An enemy we haven't heard if is the reason for this conflict?" Saizo asked, clearly skeptical, "Sounds like the work of an active imagination. Nothing more."
"Hey, you may not believe us, but we're telling the truth." Yang said.
"Yang is right Saizo, I have fought several of these Grimm before. They are no imagination." Kaze said.
"Wait, you said that this mage placed a curse on his own name, plus the name of his kingdom, correct?" Orochi asked Jaune, who nodded, "Then this just became interesting..."
"Ugh, you're actually agreeing with this Orochi?!" Saizo said.
"I'm not completely sure that Jaune is telling the truth, but it does strike me as odd." Orochi said.
"Plus, a day will come when the skies above Nohr and Hoshido will switch colors." Summer said, "If you need proof of what Jaune and Corrin said is true, meet us at the Bottomless Canyon."
"Do you think us fools?" Saizo asked.
"No, we don't think that at all. I just... I'm sorry, but I can't say more." I said.
"Because of this so-called 'curse?'" Saizo asked.
"Yeah, pretty much." Jaune said.
"Well then... It seems this was a waste of our time. I've heard enough. Away with you." Yukimura said.
Just before we began to leave, Sakura ran in front of us.
"Wait, Sister! Please!" Sakura said.
"Sakura?" I asked.
"Um... Please... t-take me with you!" Sakura said, "I'm not very good at fighting, but I'm sure I can find a way to help!"
"Lady Sakura, why are you-?!" Yukimura said, before being cut off.
"I'm sorry, Yukimura, but I believe that Corrin and Jaune are telling the truth." Sakura said, "We haven't spent much time together, but I can tell... I can tell by the look in their eyes... They aren't trying to trick us."
"Lady Sakura... I didn't expect this. I don't know what to say right now..." Yukimura said, "I've been by your side since you were born. I can tell that your mind is made up. I won't try to stop you. Just... promise me that you'll be careful."
"Th-thank you, Yukimura." Sakura said.
"Heh, I like your spunk kid." Raven said, genuinely smiling for once.
"Brother, I would ask for your understanding." Kaze said, "I would like to accompany Lady Corrin on her mission."
"If you are set on that course, you may do as you wish." Saizo said.
"I am." Kaze said sternly.
"Thank you, Sakura, Kaze." I said.
"Yeah, thanks for believing in us." Jaune said.
"Then let's head to our next destination..." I said, all of us leaving the fort.
We later found ourselves on the shores of a lake. Sakura just ahead of us.
"This lake..." I said, staring out into the water.
"What about it Corrin?" Jaune asked.
"What? Oh, it's nothing Jaune." I said, shaking off this weird feeling, "Still, so much has happened in the short time since you and the others arrived at the Northern Fortress..."
"Heh, you're telling me." Jaune said, "I went from some scrawny punk who cheated his way into Beacon, to fighting a war in another dimension. Life has a funny way of working, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, that's an understatement." I said with a chuckle.
"Corrin..." Sakura said.
"I'm sorry, Sakura. There's so much we want to tell you, but we can't. Not here..." I said.
"It's all right, Corrin. I b-believe in you. And in Jaune, too." Sakura said.
"Heh, thanks Sakura." Jaune said.
"And I can tell that both of you are carrying a very heavy burden." Sakura said, "If I can do even the smallest of things to h-help you both, then I... Uh... thank you for letting me join you. I, uh, missed you. I hope I can help." Sakura finished.
"Welcome to the army princess." Coco said, "We're all kinda rowdy here."
"I th-think I'll manage." Sakura said, chuckling a bit.
"Uh, guys, do you hear that?" Pyrrha asked.
"Yeah, something's coming this way." Blake said.
We all heard what sounded like the neighs of a horse, along with, wings.
"Um guys, am I hallucinating or something?" Sun asked, "Cause I think I see a Pegasus."
"Yeah, I see it too." Ruby said, "And it's heading straight at us!"
"What?! Ahhh!" Sakura shouted, freaking out.
Suddenly, two people dismounted from the Pegasus. Some man with red hair tied in a ponytail, wearing the garb of a Pegasus Knight. And a woman dressed like a Samurai.
'Whew... We finally caught up with you, milady!" The red-haired man said.
"Waaah! S-Subaki?" Sakura said to the now named, Subaki.
"Oh, Lady Sakura... Did you even realize that you'd left is behind? How could you!" Said the Samurai.
"Ten Lien says these two are Sakura's retainers." Nora said to Yang.
"No bets." Yang said, causing Nora to sulk.
"Hana! Why are the two of you-?" Sakura said, before the Samurai, Hana cut her off.
"We received word from Yukimura. He told us that you'd left with Lady Corrin." Hana said.
"Ahhh. Yukimura knew that I would need you two..." Sakura said.
"That's right!" Subaki said, before looking at Leo, "Wh-what the?!"
"Lady Sakura, why are there three Nohrians with you?" Sakura asked, readying her katana.
"W-wait, hold on a moment!" Leo said.
"Hana! R-relax, Corrin told me about Prince Leo's situation." Sakura said.
"Situation?" Subaki asked, raising an eyebrow, "Milady, this is a prince of Nohr!"
"Ex-prince of Nohr." Leo clarified, "I was deemed a traitor by my own older brother, just as Corrin was declared a traitor by both Nohr and Hoshido."
"So wait, those rumors about a prince of Nohr who was forced into exile were true?!" Hana said, Sakura nodding in response.
"In any event, I assume that if Yukimura hadn't told you two what was going on, you would've searched high and low for Sakura?" Summer asked, making both Subaki and Hana nod.
"Indeed. It is our duty to protect you, milady, and nothing will stop us." Subaki said.
"Huh, Nora was right." Felicia said.
"If you are headed somewhere, then it's only natural that we would go too." Subaki said, "We will always support you."
"Well, it's great to have you two aboard." Jaune said, "My name's Jaune Arc. I'm one of Corrin's retainers." He added, holding out his hand.
"My name's Subaki. I am one of Lady Sakura's retainers. It's a pleasure to meet you Jaune." Subaki said, taking Jaune's hand.
"I'm Hana. I'm another of Lady Sakura's retainers." Hana said, giving Jaune a handshake.
'Well, this is turning out slightly better than I could've hoped.' I thought, looking at the scene, feeling something in my chest, 'Although, I am curious what this feeling in my chest is...'
Tronmaster: Dear mother of GOD, my neck is sore! But yeah, once again, I've altered the dialogue slightly. But only slightly.
Alicia: Next time on An Arc of Fates: Our discount Fellowship encounters a certain village girl...
Jenkins: Oh boy, I'm excited!
Melody: We're now moving forward faster in the story.
Hector: Don't forget to read and review, and we'll see you next time!