Draco: So, when I submitted The President and the Champion, I had two slowly-brewing Generation VII fics that I intended to write after I had played Generation VIII and could write them without frickin' up the breach (for a plethora of stupid reasons I outlined in the aforementioned oneshot). Then I got a review. Well, two reviews, but one of them was just some troll who didn't even have his PMs enabled so that doesn't count by any meaningful definition. The other review was by someone who had read The Legend of Ransei and wanted to see more of Evia and Oichi.

I know, I am obsessed with Conquest. It's a problem, I'm seeking help. (But really it's not a problem, who doesn't love Conquest?) This is neither of my intended stories, and in fact I don't think it can possibly correlate to my oneshot so sorry if you noticed my subtle foreshadowing and were looking forward to it.

Okay, this is a direct continuation of the existing petals on my lily bomb. I highly recommend reading The Legend of Ransei, Auroran Nightlight, and To Be Wed in Dragnor so you have all the details and know what to expect from the way I write Pokémon Conquest.

Is there something else? I fell like there's something else... Oh yeah.

WARNING. THIS IS A POKÉMON FANFICTION BY DRACONAI AURACTO. DO NOT READ THIS FANFICTION UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT WILL BE SHORT. YOU WILL REGRET IT.

Pokémon and protagonist © Nintendo. Character designs © Koei. Ransei © somewhere in the middle.
...Damn, it feels good to use those copyright shenanigans again.

Aurora: An Unusual Invitation

"I still haven't figured out where you found one Eevee in Ransei. How did you find another?"

A laugh echoed around the castle courtyard from Evia - Warlord of Aurora, and former uniter of Ransei - as she stepped in, followed swiftly by her junior Warlord and wife, Oichi, and their Glaceon and Wigglytuff. Their daily trip to the ravine for training had turned up a pleasant surprise in the form of a familiar small Pokémon; one who was presently riding into the castle on the Warlord's shoulder.

Glaceon seemed to be in a mood as Evia shook her head. "Eevee's diverse evolution comes from its adaptability to its surroundings," she mused. "You can technically find them anywhere in Ransei - they're just not usually easy to find."

"When a Pokémon is described as 'you can find them anywhere', that's meant to be an expression to say they are easy to find," Oichi countered, though she had a smile on face all the same. Having Links with multiple Pokémon offered diversity; coupled with Evia's natural synergy with the Eevee family, a weaker Link in exchange for the possible type advantage wasn't much of a risk.

Their new addition gave an amused cry at her exasperation. Glaceon huffed irritably, drawing Evia's attention. "Oh?" she mused. "Sounds like someone's a little upset."

Glaceon turned away.

Oichi smiled. "What," she mused, "are you worried you're gonna get ignored in favour of the newcomer?"

Evia knelt down, stroking Glaceon gently. "Really? You're jealous? I'm not gonna just leave you behind. You're still my first Link." The Eeveelution softened a little bit in response to the assurance, and after a moment Evia turned back to Oichi. "Come on, let's..."

She trailed off after a moment; Oichi followed her gaze and was surprised to find a blimp approaching from the northeast.

+x+x+x+

"Brother, to what do we owe this surprise?"

Nobunaga of Dragnor winced in response to Evia's comment. "Will you never cease to unnerve me with that address?"

Evia shook her head. "That's why I call you by it." She and Oichi had met the arriving blimp as it landed, and the Warlord was pleasantly surprised to find her brother-in-law arriving. "Is this a social visit?"

"Would that it were only," Nobunaga confessed. "Hideyoshi requested my presence in Ignis, and I thought it courteous to visit Aurora on my way. While I was setting about preparations to leave Dragnor, Mitsuhide asked that I pass along a message to Oichi while I was here."

Oichi was surprised by that. "Me? What for?"

"Gracia would like you to come to Nixtorm," Nobunaga replied. "She's discovered and Linked with a couple of unusual small Pokémon that she wishes for you to see."

"I don't suppose you happened to see these unusual small Pokémon for yourself?" Evia asked.

"I'm afraid not," Nobunaga admitted. "Mitsuhide claimed they were 'beyond description' when he delivered the message."

Evia's gaze narrowed. "What kind of Pokémon could possibly be beyond description?"

"...I can think of one," Oichi admitted.

There was quiet among the group for a moment. Eevee, out of the loop, glanced between the Warlords and gave an inquisitive cry; Evia shook her head to snap herself out of her reverie. "I could probably offer a description if an artist wanted to paint the scene," she mused. "And I'm sure Mitsuhide wouldn't-"

"No," Nobunaga agreed. "He insisted that it wasn't-"

"Of course it wasn't," Oichi agreed, "why would it possibly be-"

"Exactly," Evia agreed. Then, changing the subject; "Join us for dinner, Brother?"

Nobunaga nodded. "If you insist."

+x+x+x+

"A strange cavern?"

Oichi's question over dinner had Nobunaga nodding. "Indeed. But more than that, his description of it rings familiar."

"Familiar as in 'I feel like I've fought there'?" Evia asked. "Or familiar as in 'where's my record of myths'?"

"Rather between the two," Nobunaga corrected.

"...A legendary Pokémon?" Oichi asked.

Nobunaga nodded. "Before my... ambition," he explained, "Nō and I encountered a sky garden unlike any other while we were in Violight. That was where I met - and Linked with - the Black Yang."

"And you suspect that this cave that Hideyoshi has reported might be host to another legend?" Oichi inquired.

"I do," Nobunaga confirmed. "If he should like accompaniment while he journeys inside, I wish to offer it to him. If not, I wish only to offer him warning."

Evia raised an eyebrow. "Hideyoshi makes a lot of assumptions," she admitted, "but underestimating a legendary Pokémon doesn't seem like it would be one of them."

"That's not what I mean," Nobunaga reprimanded. "After I forged my Link with Zekrom, it vanished, and then reappeared when you took Terrara and Illusio - over a year later. Then it vanished again once you took Dragnor. Rekkūza was no different. It appeared to me after you took Viperia, departed once I had forged my Link, and only reappeared to me when you took Dragnor. Then it vanished again after the events on the Tower, and only reappeared after..." He cut himself off abruptly, his gaze falling back to his meal as he muttered, "...after I got your invitation."

Oichi and Evia both tried and failed to fight giggles at the implication that the Sky Demon had appeared to him just so he could get back to Ransei in time for the wedding. "Then, your warning is...?"

"Yes," Nobunaga confirmed. "Legendary Pokémon are fickle, and unlike to honour their Links for long." He raised his gaze to Evia. "I wish for Hideyoshi to be aware of this - as are you and I."

Evia nodded. "A sound motive."

+x+x+x+

Nobunaga elected to depart for Ignis after dinner rather than lingering in the castle, thanking Evia for her hospitality. The next morning, Oichi prepared to depart for Nixtorm; with Gracia asking for a peaceful visit, she decided to leave her rapier and buckler in Aurora, taking her healer's staff with her instead.

"You sure you don't want some accompaniment?" Evia asked.

"And leave Aurora undefended?" Oichi countered. "I don't think so. What, are you gonna miss me?"

Evia sighed. "The Warlord Chamber's gonna be a lot emptier without you," she admitted.

Oichi shook her head. "I won't be gone long," she insisted. "If Hideyoshi does find a legendary Pokémon in that cave, and brings it here tomorrow to attack you, I promise I'll be back before you fight him again."

"Does the month of courtesy really apply if you lose the kingdom?" Evia asked, her gaze falling inquisitively.

"Who said you were gonna lose the kingdom?" Oichi argued.

Surprise decorated Evia's face. "You think me and Glaceon can hold off against whatever legend shows up in Ignis?"

A smile rose on Oichi's. "What sort of wife would I be if I didn't give you a vote of confidence?"

Evia returned the smile, pulling Oichi into a tight hug. "I love you."

"Love you too."

When finally they parted, Oichi picked up her things and started into the blimp.

Evia didn't start back into the castle until it had vanished on the horizon.

Draco: So, I haven't yet actually played Sword and Shield; I'm just writing this first chapter as a proclamation that I'm going to write this. Which means I don't want to hear a word about Galar until the second chapter comes up. I wanted to try and only write one ongoing fic until it was done, but the downside to that strategy is that I vanish of the face of FFN if my current focus drifts away from the appropriate fandom(s).

Quick summary of how I'm going to updating a Generation V setting to a Generation VII/VIII fic (not sure whether I'm going to include Galarian elements yet; this one's primarily because of something I very much liked in Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon):
-Only Fairy-retyped Pokémon in the Ransei Gallery are the Jigglypuff, Ralts, and Cottonnee lines, all of which went from single-type to dual-type Pokémon. Not reassigning moves, and let's quietly gloss over all the scenes where I had Jigglypuff at a defensive disadvantage to Fighting-type Pokémon (more discussion on that next chapter)
-Alolan/Galarian variant Pokémon do not appear in the wild in Ransei any more than they appear in Kanto. (Context for those who haven't played Let's Go: all Alolan forms can be obtained exclusively via in-game trade.)