Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening.
Little can be said that hasn't been said already. On to the reviews:
TheOrangeLord: In principle, Lucina's eye-related skill works kind of like the basic Sharingan with aesthetics similar to Sans's eye. As for Jack, I've got something else in mind. I've already dropped a hint of what it is, but its true form will only be revealed in a future chapter. And for the last time; no Sharingan! The way Kishimoto portrays that ability, it might as well be named "Biological Deus ex Machina" for all the BS Sharingan wielders keep pulling out of their sleeves. Adding that in this fic would just make things more ridiculous than they already are, and not in the fun way.
3-13 Sniper: Oh, I've got the Sparrow part covered. There's no way I'd let a chance for referencing the iconic pirate captain slip through my fingers that easily. Also, Lucina's parry skill basically works like the parry mechanic from Street Fighter: 3rd strike. And yes, I have plans for THAT moment. Eye of the exalt was a skill that I initially gave Lucina for the sake of making her look cooler, but it pairs well with her Block skill if used correctly.
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Good eye on the thing with Lissa. It's a relationship that I simply find endearing. It also provides a funny contrast between her caring nature as a healer and Henry's destructive tendencies as a Dark Mage. And while this contrast is even clearer in Henry's interactions with Maribelle, Ricken won out on that matter.
Also, Aversa addressing Jack by his military rank isn't even half the reference. Don't worry. I've got the Sparrow part covered.
Starwing1995: A quarter bunny who fights like a dragon? While the idea sounds cool, it's not included in this fic. I have no plans on advancing beyond the second generation of Shepherds here.
Crossfire6: Gaster blaster? Hah! Jack's got something far more destructive up his sleeve (depending on how you scale the blaster).
warrior of six blades: Actually, the mixture of feelings Jack felt towards Grima-Robin runs in a bit of a different angle – one that he won't be aware of until much later, and therefore cannot figure out right now. Also, Henry waving back is supposed to be a hint at the guy being extremely well-informed thanks to his deep connection with the forest animals. It's kind of like Ricken's connection with squirrels, except much deeper due to how Henry grew up.
Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.
I know that parents will do anything for their children… But I also know how it feels when a child loses her parents. – Severa
Chapter 15:
Mafia-style oppression!
It's not like I want your help or anything…baka!
As Lucina finally calms down from crying in Cordelia's arms, Chrom rubs his chin.
"Hold on, Lucina. You referred to Jack as "Master". What was that about?"
"That's simple, Father." Lucina replies as she slips out of Cordelia's embrace. "In the timeline where I come from, he trained me in how to fight. Do you remember when we faced off in Regna Ferox?" At Chrom nodding, Lucina continues. "Master Jack was the one who taught me how to move the way I did during our battle."
Lissa, who arrived some time after Cordelia hugged Lucina to her (armored) chest, looks at me in shock. "What?! Hang on. Does that mean you can move like that too, Jack?"
I shake my head. "No. While I am familiar with the techniques Lucina used in her duel with Chrom, I can't use those them myself. According to what Lucina told me, my future self managed to figure out how to perform the basics and then taught her. Lucina figured out the rest on her own." I smile proudly at the blue-haired princess. "That goes to show how much potential you have, Lucina. You succeeded where future-me hit a roadblock. At this point, I'm not even sure if I can consider you a student anymore."
Lucina smiles back. "Thank you, Master…" She shakes her head. "…but I believe I still have much to learn under your tutelage. I'd love to continue training with you in this timeline." Lucina rubs her arm nervously. "That is…if you'll have me?"
I rub my chin in thought. Well, if future-me can do it, I should be able to do it too. I mean, I've already trained Donnel in the basics of fighting, as well as a team of 99 (excluding Lon'qu).
I smile at Lucina. "Very well. I accept, Lucina. But be warned. My training is strict."
Lucina smiles back at me. "That's what your future self told me as well when he started training me. But I grew stronger as a result. I am up for the challenge."
A slightly sadistic grin forms on my lips. "Excellent. That means I can take off the kiddy gloves right out of the gate."
Chrom scowls at me. "Now wait just a minute, Jack. While I'm all for you helping my daughter train, I'm still her father. And as such, I should have the final say in how she trains."
"No, Chrom, that responsibility falls on me." Cordelia interjects. "After all, I'm Lucina's mother."
Robin rubs her head. "Guys, Lucina is an adult, for all intents and purposes. Can't we just let her decide on her own?"
Lucina gives her parents a pleading look. "Please, Mother? Father?"
Whatever confidence Cordelia had on the matter leaves her along with the air in her lungs as she sighs. "Oh, all right. I can't say "no" when you ask me like that. Just make sure to be careful, dear." Then she glares at me with eyes so fierce, it feels like I'm staring down a dragon's maw – with fire building up down the throat. "As for you, Jack; if I learn that you wounded my precious baby girl, I will personally hunt you down. I will find you. And I will make you rue the day you decided to train Lucina. Do I make myself clear?"
I gulp. "I'll be good!"
Hell hath no fury like a pissed-off Cordelia. Especially when she's in mama-mode.
"Speaking of students, there is something else I need to tell you all." Lucina interjects before I can discover more of the horrors that Cordelia's wrath can bring. "I did not arrive in this timeline alone. I made the journey with others, but…we became separated somewhere along the way. They all have one thing in common; they are all former students of yours, Master Jack."
I look at Lucina with a deadpan expression. "…Say what…?"
Lucina nods. "I had the fortune of growing up with many dear comrades before tragedy struck and Grima returned. One by one, they all wished to train under you when they witnessed how strong the others became. Had it not been for your training, I'm not sure if we would have lasted as long against the fell dragon's forces as we did."
Dude… I mean, sure, I like teaching, but I never expected to train the entire second generation of the Shepherds. And if Lucina is anything to go by, the results are bound to be crazy.
I rub my chin in thought. "Huh. If that's the case, finding them would prove to be a boon for us. We'll need all the help we can get, what with the war against Valm looming in the horizon, and gathering your comrades sounds like one way to bolster our forces."
Lucina nods. "I can vouch for the strength in each and every one of them. More importantly, they've remained loyal to me, even when we had the odds against us. It would make me so happy if we could find them." Her face grows somber. "The only problem is that I don't even know where to start. For all I know, they could be scattered across every corner of the world."
Lissa pats Lucina on the arm and gives her an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, Lucina. If they're out there, we'll find 'em!"
Lucina smiles at the blonde princess. "Thank you, Aunt Lissa."
Quest alert
Side quest: Gathering the gang
Lucina's not the only time traveler to join your merry band. She arrived with several allies in your timeline, but they got separated down the line. Do your best in finding these wayward allies. Their help will prove to be most beneficial.
Objective: Find all of Lucina's fellow time traveling comrades.
Rewards: 15 000 EXP, Greatly increased standing with Ylisse
"Well, good thing I have that covered." I interject.
Lucina looks at me in shock. "You do? But how? I've never even mentioned them to you until this point."
I wink at my newest student. "Like I've told you before; I have my ways, Lucina."
I turn to some open space and give a sharp whistle. Moments later, ten small blurs burst out of the foliage, revealing them to be squirrels, all of them with distinguishing features, but with the common one being that they all wear coats made of blackened moss with red leaves fastened on the outside.
BGM: Akatsuki's theme, Naruto Shippuden OST
I crouch down in front of the closest one. "Itachi, report."
The squirrel in front marches up. "Our organization have scoured the continent these past two years. Our findings can be summarized in this scroll."
I accept the tiny scroll from the squirrel and skim the contents (which is a bit challenging, due to how small the words are and the fact that it's written in Squirrel).
I nod as I finish the report. "Good work. Though I notice that information regarding several of the individuals I listed when I sent you on this mission two years ago is absent."
Itachi nods. "Unfortunately, we couldn't find any trace of humans matching those descriptions during our search. We eventually concluded that they are not on this continent."
"Do you have any idea how much I was forced to fly around?!" a squirrel with a curious eyepatch complains. "I owe the owls more favors than I can repay them from their flying services. They're practically vultures! Hm!"
"Shut up, Deidara." a squirrel with a wrapped bundle on his back squeaks irritably. "I had to conduct my reconnaissance alone because those fowls refused to even let me on."
"Sasori, my man, you have no idea how much nuttery you've been spared. Seriously, the owls never stop whining about anything!"
"Enough, you two!" the squirrel in the middle squeaks. "We delivered our mission report as ordered. Behave in front of our client, or you will know pain." Curiously enough, I think this squirrel's eyes have a ripple pattern.
Another squirrel, this one with a flower on her head, steps up. "We will guide you to the locations of the humans we found as you travel the lands, Jack. Keep an eye out for us."
I nod. "Got it. Thanks, Konan."
A squirrel with the bottom half of his face covered up clears his throat. "*Ahem* Now, as for the payment."
I roll my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get your tail in a knot, Kakuzu. I've got your payment right here."
I unfasten my bag, open the flap on top, and turn the whole thing upside down. A torrent of nuts of all kinds pours out from my bag until a pile the size of a tree lies in front of me.
"There you go. Enough nuts to feed the entire village for a full year, as per the contract."
Kakuzu eyes the pile. "You're one nut short." he squeaks annoyed.
I blink. "Really?" A few shakes of my bag, and one last walnut drops on top of the pile. "I guess that settles that issue."
BGM ends
A squirrel with a piece of bark shaped eerily like a scythe looks at the giant (from his perspective) pile while rubbing his chin. "Well, I'm glad we got that over with, but how the h-ll are we supposed to bring all of this back to the village?"
"Simple." Kakuzu replies. "You're the pack mule, Hidan."
"Oh, *squeak* you, Kakuzu! There's no way I'm getting along with that!"
"Need I remind you of the list of your debts?"
"…I hate you so much right now."
"I said; enough!" the leader squirrel squeaks out loud. "We shall inform the rest of the village about the nuts and have them all contribute to transporting them back home. After that, we will act as guides for these humans, as per our agreement."
"One more thing, Nagato." I interject. "Alert Hashirama and Madara. I have a special mission for them."
The leader squirrel nods. "Very well. We shall expect payment accordingly. Furrytsuki, move out!"
The squirrels vanish in the blink of an eye, leaving only us humans and a big pile of nuts.
"…Jack, what was that?" Robin asks with a deadpan expression.
I pinch the bridge of my nose. "That, Robin, was an elite band of squirrels trained for all sorts of assignments. They're dependable, but that's only matched by their crazy personalities."
"Soo… You can talk to squirrels?" Henry asks curiously.
I nod. "Yeah. A Dark Knight named Ricken taught me some two years ago. Turns out they've been a great help ever since, be it for scouting or communication. Only problem is, these guys are nutcases, every single one of them."
Henry's grin widens. "If that's the case, wait 'til you meet their Plegian cousins, the chipmunks. Those guys are a riot! Recently, three of their young ones decided to start a performer's band together."
I have a weird feeling about that. I give the Dark Mage a flat look. "Let me guess; their names are Alvin, Simon and Theodore."
"Nya ha! Got it in one! How'd you know?"
I roll my eyes at how absurd the situation is. "Let's call it instinct and leave it at that."
Some time after everything was sorted out, the rest of the Shepherds were brought up to speed regarding Lucina. While most had a hard time believing her backstory, Chrom's insistence and explanation of the relationship between their swords quelled just about any skepticism they had. After we established the fact that, yes, Lucina came from the future, hearing about what happened in her timeline unnerved the others greatly. Most prominently, Emmeryn was shaken about hearing how she was assassinated even before the war against Plegia had escalated to an all-out conflict, as well as how Lucina lost her family at a young age.
"I see." the exalt comments after she's taken everything in. "To think that my death was just the beginning of what would culminate in the fell dragon's return. I am truly sorry for all the hardship you had to endure, Lucina."
Lucina shakes her head. "Thank you for your sympathy, Your Grace, but that is the very reason why I came here. The fact that you stand before me, alive and well, has given me more hope than ever before that the future can be changed."
Emmeryn nods with a benevolent smile. "And change it we shall. Also, there is no need for you to be so formal with me. Please, call me "Aunt Emmeryn". I know your baby self will do that once she learns how to speak."
The blue-haired princess hesitates a bit before she returns the smile. "Ah, well… Thank you, Aunt Emmeryn. And I am honored to finally meet you. In the future where I came from, you passed away before I was born, so I never got to know you. All I know about you is second-hand knowledge passed down to me from Father and Aunt Lissa."
Emmeryn tilts her head curiously. "Well, that won't do. It seems we have much to talk about then – as a family."
"A family…" Lucina whispers in wonder. "We can finally be a family again…after all these years."
"Do you mind?"
"No, I- I mean, I have wished for this more than anything for a long time, but now that it is within my grasp, I just don't know what to do with this opportunity."
Cordelia hugs her daughter gently. "Take your time, dear. I'm sure you still have to take in everything that's happened. We'll make this whole family thing work. You'll see."
Lucina returns the hug. "Thank you, Mother. And, if you don't mind, would you like it if we spent some time together, alone?"
"I'd love to."
Seeing as the sun was already up, Chrom and Frederick rallied the rest of us to break camp and get off the isle immediately – much to the grievance of everyone except Emmeryn, since she actually got to sleep (How did she sleep through all that battle noise?), and me, since I have Gamer's Body. Since my head was as clear as usual, I decided to let Robin get what rest she could and had a bunch of clones pack all our stuff up. As for me, I picked up my wife in a princess carry and let her sleep there as we walked back. I felt the envious stares of all the other female Shepherds on Robin all the way, which only made me grin, knowing they would glare at their respective husbands next.
I might be spoiling my wife rotten, and I feel absolutely no remorse over it.
By the time we boarded the ship, Robin gathered Chrom, Emmeryn, Frederick, Lucina and me in the ship's war room for an impromptu meeting. So here we all stand around a table with a map of the continent in the middle.
Emmeryn raises an eyebrow. "And why do you want us to take a different route back to Port Ferox, Robin? I thought we needed to get back there as soon as possible to oversee preparations of the Plegian ships."
Robin nods. "And we shall return there as fast as possible, Your Grace." A frown grows on her face. "However, I am reluctant to take the same path back. Forgive us if we step out of line, but Jack and I suspect that last night's attack from the Risen was coordinated by an outside party. More specifically, we believe it was orchestrated by the Grimleal."
"The religion King Validar is part of?"
"The very same."
Lucina puts a hand under her chin. "Sadly, I am inclined to agree, Aunt Emmeryn. It was the Grimleal who summoned Grima in the future, and I have seen numerous instances where they conduct rituals that summon those very same horrid creatures who attacked you last night. I wouldn't put it past them to be the ones responsible for that incident either."
Emmeryn rubs her temples. "*Sigh* While I dearly hope you are wrong on this matter, I have nothing disprove your claims. Very well, what do you propose we do then, Robin?"
My wife places her finger on the map, right where Carrion Isle's port is. "This is the port we left just a few minutes ago. We originally traveled to Carrion Isle from the north, as it was the fastest traveling path there from Port Ferox. However, Jack and I suspect there could be more ambushes planned along the way, no matter who planned them. To minimize the risk of running into such an ambush, we should take a different route." Robin slides her finger over the map, tracing a path that goes south, then counterclockwise through the continent. "If we travel along this route, we should be able to return to Port Ferox without retracing our steps, albeit with a few days' delay."
As I look at the path my wife demonstrated, a bell rings in the back of my head. If my gut feeling is correct, Robin's finger traced a path near several places of interest.
I pull out the tiny scroll Itachi gave me a few hours ago and read through the contents one more time, this time more carefully.
"Isn't that the scroll you received from one of the squirrels earlier today, Master Jack?" Lucina asks curiously.
I nod. "Yeah. Before I left for my journey to the Outrealms two years ago, I hired those squirrels to be my eyes and ears in my absence, scouring the continent for information about certain interesting people. The scroll I received is a summarized report on what they found." I follow the path Robin traced on the map. "And if I've interpreted the information correctly, we should be near several of the places reported in this scroll if we follow Robin's suggested travel path. In fact, we could probably make a quick stop at the capital if we wish."
Everyone looks at me with various degrees of disbelief.
"You found all of that out…by hiring squirrels." Chrom tells me flatly.
I shrug. "I know, not the most conventional practice, but I've learned that they're very skilled at gathering all sorts of information."
"Hold a moment." Lucina interjects. "These people you're talking about… Are they…who I think they are?"
I send the blue-haired princess a smile. "They may well be. Of course, we actually need to get there in order to find out."
Frederick frowns. "For your sake, I certainly hope this is not some jest you're trying to pull on us, Jack. We have a war to prepare for, so we can ill afford wasting our time on some wild goose chase across the continent, just because a pack of woodland critters happened to give you a piece of parchment with some vague directions."
I wave off his concerns. "Trust me, those critters are way more capable than you think. Besides, neither of us actually have the final say on this matter." I indicate Robin and Emmeryn. "That honor belongs to these two ladies."
Said two ladies blink at being put on the spot. All eyes are on them right now.
Robin clears her throat. "*Ahem* While I am indeed quite curious about what you hired those squirrels for, Frederick is right in that we should make haste, Jack. Though I suppose we could have a look at one of those places, if it's not too far out of the way."
Emmeryn tilts her head curiously. "Well, I see no harm in taking a small detour, so long as we return to Port Ferox in time. And I too am curious about what that message was about."
I nod with a pleased smile. "Great. That means we have our next destination in mind."
I take one last look on the scroll before I put my finger on a small island south of Carrion Isle. "The nearest place listed in my directions is this island. Since we're already traveling in that direction, I think that should be a good starting point."
Some time after the meeting, Lucina approached me with the desire to spar. I agreed, mainly to get a feel of how good she is in battle. That should be the first step if I'm going to pick up where future-me left off in her training.
"Hya!" *Whoosh, clack!*
Hmm… Good form. She makes good use of her entire body when swinging, while still being mindful of her balance. All in all, her sword technique is solid.
"Yah!" *Crack!*
She's got good footwork too, and that's before taking her movement tech into account. Judging by how she stays on the move constantly, that means she's worked well on her spacing.
"Hah!"
I lean to the side and dodge the stab directed at my torso before I retaliate with a stab of my own. To my pleasant surprise, Lucina dodges my training sword in the same manner. Hmm… Excellent reaction time.
We both take a step back and retake our stances while eyeing each other. We slowly circle the sparring ring on board the deck.
"Impressive." I comment. "You've shown impressive movement and ferocity when on the offensive, while still remaining wary in case your opponent exploits an opening and retaliates. I'd say you've built yourself a solid foundation to improve on."
Lucina smiles. "Thank you, Master Jack. I wasn't sure if my skills would be up to your standards, seeing as I spent more time on the battlefield than practicing in peace."
I shake my head. "I'd say that was time well spent. It doesn't matter how much you practice within closed-off walls if you can't put it to practical use in a real battle. The way you keep your balance shows that you've tempered your technique with real combat experience, even if it was mostly against mindless undead soldiers."
I stop and crouch lower. "That's just how I evaluate when you're on the offensive, however. Now, let's see how well you fare on the defensive."
I lunge for Lucina and stab. In response, Lucina redirects my blow to the side and retaliates with a horizontal swing. I go with the flow of my redirected attack and bend low to let her training sword swing over my head. Then I use the momentum to pivot on my left foot and transfer it all into a backhanded swing against her ribs. Lucina jumps and barely dodges my swing. She lands with an L-cancel and turns around for a diagonal swing. I roll under it and spring up with my training sword in full swing. Right, diagonal, stab, side-step, overhead, crouch, leg sweep, rising slash, surprise backhand aaand downward!
*Twack!*
Lucina managed to block or dodge every attack, though there were a few close calls when I feinted my attacks. The princess grits her teeth as she pushes against my training sword with both hands on hers. She struggles under my strength, but that's to be expected. I'm much stronger than her, so I try to hold back. I don't want a repeat of when Lon'qu and I had our last spar. That one was just ridiculous.
Even as I increase the pressure on our blade lock, I smile at her. "Good. Very good. I spar with my teammates regularly, and about half of them still fall for the trickier moves." I ease up one the blade lock and back away a few steps. "Looks like your defenses hold up."
Lucina releases the breath she held during my offensive. I note a drop of sweat forming on her brow. Well, I think I've got a good grasp on her basic abilities at this point. And according to the ship crew, we should land at that island soon.
"That should be enough for this time, Lucina." I declare. "Take some time to rest up."
"Thank you, Master. I look forward to continue my training under you."
I scratch my cheek. "Honestly, I'm not exactly sure how I'll train you from this point onwards. You've clearly formed a fighting style of your own, so I think the most I can do is assist you in improving your overall physical conditioning."
"Well, there is one thing I could use your help with."
I raise an eyebrow. "Oh? What's that?"
"One of the most important lessons you taught me was the ability to block. While it constitutes the core of my defense, I only had time to master the basic version. I've yet to learn the advanced one – the one you call "parry"."
I nod in response. "I see. Yeah, parrying is a tricky maneuver. Not only do you need to learn how to intercept an incoming attack, you have to execute the block with split-second timing."
Lucina gives me a hopeful smile. "Then maybe we can focus on that during our next training session?"
I smile back. "Sure. I already have an idea on how we'll accomplish that." My smile turns sadistic. "Though for your sake, I hope you learn fast, because the method I have in mind can be quite…painful until you get the hang of it."
Lucina gulps before she steels herself. "Very well. I'll meet any challenge you set before me head-on."
I give my student a flat look. "Guess I can add another lesson before next time, then. Remember; there are more ways to attack an adversary than just from the front. There's no shame in flanking your enemy on a battlefield."
"O-of course I know that!" Lucina replies with a slight blush. "It's just…well, we usually don't practice that during spars."
"And that's one of the big differences between spars and actual war." I reply. "I'll be blunt, Lucina. Since you've decided to join us, that means you'll be fighting right alongside us on the battlefield. Now, I know both Chrom and Cordelia can be a bit overprotective, especially since they know about the tragic future you come from. However, chances are you'll find yourself on the frontlines together with them."
Lucina nods. "That much is to be expected. That's where I fought in the future as well, mainly to lead what remained of mankind in our struggle for survival."
I nod back. "Good. However, with the war waiting for us beyond the sea, you'll be fighting against enemies very unlike the Risen that were most likely your only adversaries before you traveled back in time."
"What do you mean, Master?"
"Lucina, we're not fighting against the undead in this war – we're fighting other humans. Surely you must be aware of this by now." At Lucina nodding, I continue. "Know this, my dear student; Risen may have the bodies of a human, but that's where the similarities end. Unlike Risen, human opponents have minds and souls. They can think. They can adapt. Most importantly, they are alive in the literal sense of the word. Defeating a Risen merely means you send a corpse back to its grave. Defeating a human in a war, on the other hand, means you end a life that could've continued, had things gone differently. Risen dissolve into mist upon defeat. A dead human will still remain, even when the battle is over, serving as a reminder of the life you took. I have already seen you take a few human lives ever since I met you, but I have to know; how far are you willing to go to achieve your goal? What is the extent of your resolve?"
Lucina stiffens as the weight of my words hit home for her. "I… I never thought about that… All I could think of when traveling back in time was to prevent Grima's resurrection. Alter the events that led to the fell dragon's return – that was my mission. Nothing else mattered. But this war against Valm… I don't think any of that is connected to my mission at all, other than helping Father and protect him, if need be."
I place a hand on Lucina's shoulder. "Take the time you need to sort out your thoughts. Don't hesitate to voice your concerns for anybody, least of all your parents. They may not have technically raised you, but you mean as much to them as they mean to you. What's more, they both have plenty of experience taking the lives of others, mainly to defend their home or the innocent."
Lucina bites her lip before she nods. "I will." Then she smiles at me. "Thank you for taking this time to help me, Master Jack."
I wave it off. "Eh, I'm just fulfilling my duty as your teacher. Though I have one last thing to tell you regarding the whole flanking-your-enemies approach." I look her dead in the eyes with a serious expression. "Showing mercy to your enemy is the same as asking to be killed, for you can never expect them to show you any. Remember this, because your life could depend on it."
My last lesson doesn't seem to sit well with Lucina, though she gives me a short bow before she walks off somewhere else.
Your relationship with Lucina has improved!
Hmm… Between my team and a whole 2nd generation of grown-up Shepherds, it seems my role is becoming more and more like an instructor than a frontline military officer. Though I suppose I could get used to this role. I've been told I have a knack for teaching, and the way Lucina fights should be a testament to at least some of that ability.
Speaking of Lucina, I noticed something interesting while going through my menus after the last battle. Turns out my relationship with Lucina already sits on "Allies", despite me having little interaction with her up until this point. I'd chalk it up to future-me having already built a good rapport with Chrom's and Cordelia's daughter after training her for a while in her timeline. More importantly, the fact that I apparently had a hand in training the entire second generation of Shepherds indicates that I have just as good a relationship with all of them, if not better. That suits me just fine. No need to go through days of interactions and the occasional trust issue to make trustworthy allies on the battlefield – future-me already has that covered.
Timeskip: A few hours later
We finally land on the island we set course for back on that meeting in the ship's war room. The place overall looks peaceful. That is, until we reach a settlement on the island. What grabs our attention is that the whole town seems to be gathered in the plaza. And they look distressed.
"This can't go on, Elder!" a man in the crowd exclaims in front of the oldest looking person present. "We barely have enough to get by as it is!"
"Their leader is a former Valmese general!" said elder replies sharply. "We'll be crushed if we resist…"
Chrom steps forward. "What's that about Valm?"
"Who are you?" the younger villager asks curiously.
"My name is Chrom." the prince replies.
The elder's eyes widen. "The prince of Ylisse?!"
"Elder, he may be able to help us!" another villager in the crowd interjects hopefully. That one sentence makes the gathered townsfolk stand straighter. Their eyes no longer look lifeless. There's hope back in their hearts.
Chrom gives the villager a flat look. "Um, I can hear you. But tell me your problem, and I'll see what I can do."
The elder bows. "Oh, thank you, sir!"
And so, the town elder tells us the story of how Nelson, a former general from the empire of Valm, arrived on the island a few years ago after he defected from his homeland. He took a few trusted elite soldiers with him, strong-armed the local bandits into joining his cause, and holed himself up in an abandoned castle on the northern end of the island. Using the building as his base of operations, Nelson's ruled the nearby settlements with an iron fist, demanding they pay him ludicrous monthly tributes in gold or provisions. Typical small-time rebel stuff. Small-time or no, the people have suffered under his oppression, to the point that they're almost bled dry.
Chrom scowls upon as he hears their story. Considering how he's handled bandits in the past, his next course of action is predictable.
"Shepherds! We march to the castle and put an end to this tyranny!"
Naturally, we all agree, much to the joy of the townspeople.
Quest alert
Side quest: Ambivalence
The townsfolk on a small, remote island suffer under the oppression of a former Valmese general playing mafia boss. Put an end to his reign and restore the peace on the island!
Objective: Defeat Nelson
Rewards: 10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold
Bonus objectives: ?, ?
Bonus rewards: 1 000 EXP, ?
As we get ready to leave for the castle, I approach Chrom with a smirk.
"Hey, Chrom?"
Chrom turns my way, silently asking what I want.
"I think you just netted us a golden opportunity in our upcoming campaign against Valm."
"How?" both Chrom and Robin ask me at the same time.
"Think about it." I explain. "The guy we're going up against is a former general of the Valmese army. With a position that high, he's bound to have a lot of knowledge on how the imperial army operates."
Cordelia scratches her head. "Well, I admit that the idea has some merit, though I'm not sure where you're going with this, Jack. The town elder told us he's a former general from Valm. Even if we manage to pry any information out of him, it would most likely be outdated."
I nod. "In most cases, you'd be correct, Cordelia. But not in this case." Seeing the Falcon Knight raise an eyebrow, I take it as my cue to elaborate. "According to what Virion and Cherche told us, the empire of Valm was established only in recent years."
Robin's eyes widen. "Hold on. Are you saying what I think you're saying, Jack?"
I grin at my wife. "Great minds think alike, my love. With an army as big as the Conqueror's, it's going to take more than just a few years for that army to change dramatically. Whatever this "Nelson" fellow knows about the Valmese army, chances are his information is still up to date. If we can capture him, he could become a valuable source of information for our war preparations!"
Chrom scowls in the general direction the villagers pointed us at. "All the more reason for us to take him down, then."
"And there might be one more thing for us to search for in his stronghold." I interject.
Lissa looks at me in shock. "Huh? There's more?"
Right on cue, a nearby bush rustles. One of the squirrels who accompanied Itachi back on Carrion Isle stands in front of us. This one has a bundle on its back.
I crouch down in front of the squirrel. "So, you're my guide for this one, Sasori?"
"About time you arrived, Jack." the squirrel squeaks annoyed."Do you have any idea how long I've waited? You know full well how much I despise waiting."
I roll my eyes. "Yeesh. No need to get your puppet strings in a knot. And be thankful you were assigned this area. You're the first among your squad that we ran into. Had anyone else been sent here, you'd have to wait even longer."
"Fair enough. All right, let's get going, already. We're burning daylight, and I want to be home before sunset."
I sigh in exasperation. Could this furball get any more impatient? "Lead the way."
As Sasori walks ahead of us, Robin sidles up and leans against me with a smile. "Oh, so you think I have a great mind?"
I match her smile. "I know of none greater."
My wife giggles. "Oh, you flatterer."
"Humans and their mating rituals…" Sasori mutters from the front.
About an hour of marching later, we find the abandoned castle just beyond a few hills. Doesn't look heavily guarded on the outside, but that says nothing about whoever could be waiting within the walls.
"The human I was assigned to search for was here last I saw her. She's working for the human in charge, though she seems highly displeased with her situation."
I nod in reply. "Got it. Good work, Sasori. You can return to your duties now."
The squirrel stretches out his paw and gives me an expectant look. "Well?"
I raise an eyebrow. Sasori's not moving an inch. I sigh again and rummage through my bag.
"Fine, twist my arm, would you." I mutter exasperated and hand him a walnut.
Sasori looks over the treat from any and every angle. "Hmm… Yes. This should do for dinner. And if I crack it open carefully enough, the shell should make for fine material for my next puppet…"
I tune out the rest as the squirrel runs back into nearby vegetation. I swear, those squirrels get crazier by the minute.
Cordelia raises an eyebrow. "Let's see if I understand this correctly. You, Jack, have hired a group of squirrels to scout for potential allies while you were off training in the Outrealms. And one of those allies happens to be in that very castle."
I nod. "That just about sums it up. Of course, we need to talk to this person first, while still aiming to take the former Valmese general down."
Chrom takes point. "All right. Let's reclaim what's been stolen and return it to the villagers."
We make sure to use the hills as cover for as much of our approach as possible. The smaller the chances that we're detected, the greater our chances at getting the drop on our enemies. We eventually find a place relatively close to the front gate. Oddly enough, it's opened and only guarded by one person. Wait a minute… It's a girl – a red-headed girl with twin-tails!
Severa Lvl 26 Class: Mercenary
Aha! Found you at last, Severa!
"There's just one guard outside the door." Frederick notices as well. "If we can knock them out, storming this castle should become significantly easier."
I stretch out my hand. "Hold on, Frederick. That girl matches the description of the person we came here for."
Everyone does a doubletake on the redhead standing guard.
"Ya sure about that?" Sully asks skeptically.
I nod. "First trait to look for was red hair, and hair of that color is pretty rare in these parts."
"Oh really?" Sully, Miriel, Gregor and Cordelia comment in perfect sync.
"Honest! It's just that Chrom somehow has a knack for recruiting redheads!"
"Well, whatever the case, talking to her is worth a try. It has certainly helped turn enemies into allies before." Chrom muses.
After we sent out Kellam to confirm that, yes, Severa is the only one standing guard at the moment, we decide to approach the redhead.
Chrom, being his usual, tactful self, blurts out the first thing that comes to mind.
"What's a child doing here?"
Severa bristles at the remark and turns to the prince. "Child? I'm not a child, you oaf! I'm-"
The redheaded Mercenary freezes as she spots Chrom. Her shock is palpable, put she quickly hides it under a mask of cold indifference. "Oh, it's you… Finally decided to show up, did you?"
Chrom raises an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, what?"
Severa huffs exasperated. "We noticed your approach ages ago. And what does that rat of a former general do? Station little old me to guard the front gate, all alone. And by the time you finally arrive, you're as clueless as the rest. Gawds, I'm surrounded by imbeciles!"
Snarky attitude aside, I guess she brings up a good point. I mean, Nelson already knows at this point that Chrom holds the Fire Emblem, yet the dude doesn't even prepare an ambush to get his hands on it. I suspect Walhart kicked Nelson out from his army for incompetence, rather than that the Sage decided to defect because he hated it there.
Seeing as the prince doesn't get through to Severa, Cordelia steps up and tries some diplomacy of her own.
"Listen, I understand if you don't like serving under this "Nelson" fellow, so if you'd like, you could join us instead. At least one of us believe you'd make a great ally."
The moment the two women make eye contact, Severa's demeanor changes from indifference to outright cold disdain.
"Oh, gods… It's you. Figures you'd be around here somewhere, what with your beloved prince prancing around the countryside."
Cordelia raises an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, have we met before?"
"Not really." Severa replies dismissively. "Not that you'd notice. Considering where you look all day, I'd probably fly right under your nose without you being any the wiser!"
Cordelia sighs. "Look, we don't have time for this. If you'd rather come with us than serve under some petty tyrant, now's your only chance. If not, stay out of Chrom's way."
Oh dear… Judging from how Severa's hair seems to defy gravity to a small extent, Cordelia struck a very sensitive nerve – and given what I know of the young Mercenary, I know exactly which one.
"Chrom! Chrom, Chrom, CHROM!" Severa shouts in fury. "It's ALWAYS about Chrom with you! Gods, hearing you gush about him makes me sick! That's it, I'm not taking anymore of this. I'm getting what I'm here for, and then I'm out!" Severa levels a finger at Lucina. "And you! Don't you dare start one of your speeches about the greater good! I'm doing my own thing, so stay out of my way!"
With that, Severa storms back into the castle.
Cordelia turns to Lucina. "Lucina, do you know this girl?" she asks curiously.
Lucina nods. "Yes, Mother. She's one of the people who traveled with me back in time. She's always been cold to others, but never to this extent."
BGM: Uncontrollable, Xenoblade Chronicles X music
Chrom looks in the general direction of where the Mercenary went and draws Falchion. "Cold or not, she's one of your allies, and therefore one of ours as well. We'd better keep an eye on her while searching the castle."
"Leave that to me, Chrom." I reply as I draw Harvest Moon. "Lon'qu, Cherche, with me!"
I dash into the castle before either of them can reply. It's okay. Lon'qu's my lieutenant, so he's bound to follow anyway. And from what I've seen, Cherche follows the guy around a lot.
It's a good thing I have Mind's Eye. Unlike in the game, the castle interior here is almost like a maze! Good thing I can map a lot of the place in an instant, including where every person in here is. I manage to catch up to Severa in less than a minute.
"Hey, wait!" I call to her.
Severa stops and turns to look at me. "Huh. And here I thought someone else would run after me. Though you being my companion kind of makes sense."
"Look, I can tell you like the guy in charge here just as much as the rest of us, so why don't you just let us work with you? If nothing else, we could team up until Nelson's been taken down. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?"
"There they are!" a pair of Berserkers shout as they round the corner and charge us. Severa draws an elaborately decorated golden broadsword and prepares to engage.
*Clang!*
"And when did I ask for your help?" the redhead fires back as we engage a Berserker each. "Better yet, when did I ask for anyone's help?"
"It's not about asking for help and you know it!" I reply as I redirect a vertical slash to the side and kick my opponent in the chest. "I don't care how high you estimate your abilities. Trying to take on an entire group of bandits led by a former general is a terrible idea when you're on your own."
"Like you being with me is any better!" Severa counters as she ducks under a horizontal swing and retaliates with a diagonal slash across her opponent's chest. "I'll have you know I can handle myself, and I worked hard to reach that level of strength!"
*Clang!*
"Rgh! What will it take for me to get through to you?!" I ask exasperated as I block an axe swing, grab my opponent's wrist before he can raise his weapon back up, kick him in the back of his head, and stab him through his spine. "Why do you have such a hard time accepting help when someone offers it to you?!"
*Clang! Shing!*
"It's not like that!" Severa shouts as she parries an axe strike and delivers a swift counter slash on her opponent's right leg. "It's just- Ugh! Just leave me alone and let me do my thing, okay?!"
The Berserker backs away after a surprise slash along his cheek. Severa lunges into the opening and stabs him right through the heart. The Berserker coughs out some blood before he falls backwards.
Severa flicks some blood off her sword. "If we're going the same way; fine. But don't expect me to be all buddy-buddy with you. Understand?!"
The redhead continues to run through the corridors, much to my chagrin.
"*Sigh* What is her problem?" I ask exasperated as I scratch my head. I know she can be difficult, but this level of cold attitude is ridiculous, even by Severa's canon standards.
"I somehow feel redundant." Cherche mutters annoyed behind me.
"Don't mind." Lon'qu assures her. "Things always get crazy around Jack. Surely you are aware of that by now?"
"Hey, I'm right here." I tell them flatly. I shake my head. "We can talk about that later. Right now, we have a stubborn, and possibly suicidal, girl to assist."
We thankfully manage to catch up to her fast. As we round the corner, Severa's in full swing against a Trickster.
"You'll regret going against the boss, you wench!" the Trickster taunts while flipping around Severa's slashes.
"Like I cared about that buffoon in the first place!" Severa fires back. "Each and every one of you are nothing more than petty thugs robbing the innocent for your own comfort. I'm not having any of that anymore!"
She's got guts, I'll give her that much. Though she lacks the skill and conditioning to back it up against her opponent. Sure, her swings have a lot of power, but they're too slow. And you never fight a Trickster if you're slow.
"We got them now!" we hear behind us. Turning around, we notice an Assassin and a Warrior charge us from behind.
"We'll handle them, Jack." Lon'qu tells me as he draws both swords at his hips. Minerva gives a menacing growl as she prepares to take off.
Seeing as my companions have that covered, I can focus on helping Severa. Which should be soon, since she's on the defensive against her agile opponent. Gotta wait for an opening.
*Clang!*
"Gotcha!" the Trickster exclaims as he blows Severa's guard wide open and prepares to slash her neck.
"Not today!" I shout and rush in.
*Clang!*
Both combatants are surprised as I get in between and push Severa a bit backwards while blocking the Silver Sword intended to take her life. I push back, and moments later, Severa rushes beside me and cuts down the ruffian.
"That was mine!" she shouts angrily as she turns to face me. "I already told you; I DO NOT need your help! Leave me alone!"
That's it. Even my patience has limits. "Enough with the bratty attitude already!" I shout back. "I don't know what your problem is, and frankly, I don't care anymore! I'm helping you accomplish whatever hairbrained task you've set out for yourself. End of story!"
"Are you daft or something?! No means NO! Why won't you leave me alone?! I said I can handle myself!"
I pinch the bridge of my nose. "How in the world does Lucina put up with you?" I mutter. "Would you just shut up…" I grab hold of her shoulder. "…and LISTEN to me?!"
I yank Severa away from her spot. Moments later, a potent Arcthunder spell crashes down on where she stood. The redhead's eyes widen as she realizes how badly it could've ended for her.
"You don't see it, but they have spell casters in the corridor who'd love nothing more than to take potshots at you from the other side of the wall." I explain. I replace Harvest Moon on my back and face the nearest wall. "Well, that ends now."
I crouch in a low stance with my right fist reared back. Winds build up at the elbow, resulting in a miniature storm contained at that part of my arm.
"W-what are you doing?" Severa asks as she backs away apprehensively.
"Bringing the fight right in their faces." I reply as the winds behind my elbow whip around violently. One deep breath, aaaand… "Hurricane fist!"
*BOOM!*
With the winds propelling my Reinforced fist forward, I punch the wall with the force of a hurricane concentrated in a single clenched hand. As the dust settles, a massive hole has been blown open in the wall. The destruction continues beyond that, showing toppled pillars, as well as both ruffians and furniture strewn about from where the residual kinetic energy from my punch continued.
You have leveled up!
BGM ends
I dust off my hands. "There. That should clear the way forward."
Severa averts her eyes while blushing bashfully. "Um…thanks. I suppose."
"Are you going to stand there all day, or will you walk through the hole sometime this week?"
The blush intensifies on her face. "All right already, I'm going! Sheesh! No need to push me around!"
I look behind me and notice that Lon'qu and Cherche finished up as well. The Wyvern Rider and her mount gawk at the destruction I unleashed on the wall while the Swordmaster rubs his temples.
"How much wind magic did you put behind that punch, Jack?" Lon'qu asks as he and Cherche join me and Severa through the hole.
I frown as I run some rough calculations in my head. I give up after a few seconds. "A lot."
Three humans and a wyvern give me looks that roughly translate to "No s-it, Sherlock."
Severa shakes her head and presses on. "I can't believe I didn't see this coming. You always had a tendency to butt in whenever you didn't agree with something, Jack-sensei. And seven times out of ten, you go overkill on whatever problem you find. Seriously, you need to learn how to mind your business. And restraint."
Cherche blinks at hearing her comment. "You seem to be familiar with Jack."
"Of course I am!" the Mercenary huffs irritably. "The jerk used to be my instructor!"
I smirk proudly. "Sounds like I still have it, even several years from now. Go me!"
"How Lucina and the others put up with your craziness, I'll never understand." Severa sighs. "Though we did have fun at times." she mutters.
"I'm sorry, could you speak louder?"
"I said: you're a crazy lunatic, and you're no fun!" she replies with an intense blush. Heh. She's way too easy to read.
The corridors after that are thankfully empty. Seems like Robin and the others drew the main portion of the ruffians to their position. Good. Protecting Severa would've been much harder if both groups got the same amount of resistance.
"So, mind telling me why you've been so set on running in here already?" I ask as we walk through the empty hallways.
"I got separated from Lucina and the others when we traveled back in time, but you already knew that." Severa eventually replies. "When I arrived, I had no idea where I was. Fortunately, a kind farmer and his wife took me in and gave me food and shelter, even though they had to work hard to make ends meet. It was somewhere around that time that Nelson and his ragtag group of thugs attacked the village I was staying in. The men in the village were given a choice: join him or die. Holland, the farmer who took me in, opted to join, if only to make sure he could still support his wife. I couldn't leave the poor sap to his fate, so I snuck after the thugs to figure out where their base of operations lay." Severa grits her teeth. "But I was careless. Before I knew it, Nelson had me in a bind. I had no choice but to join him too, both for my own sake, and for Holland's. But I'm done doing that rat's dirty work. I'm getting what I came for, find an escape route with Holland, and then I'm outta here."
I rub my temples. "You know, had you told us this from the start, everyone would've been more than happy to help out. We wouldn't be in this little mess that way."
"Don't you think I know?! I'm well aware of how Chrom and the others react to anything related to bandits." the redhead snarls. She rubs her arm and averts her eyes. "It's just, I wanted to do this by myself…to prove for myself that I can stand on my own. I wanted to prove that I'm not some dead weight." She glances at me. "Most importantly, I wanted to prove that the time you spent training me wasn't a waste, Sensei. I wanted to prove that I'm a worthy student."
I look the young Mercenary in the eyes as we walk in silence. Then I raise my hand…
*Whack!*
…and karate chop Severa over the head.
"Ow! What was that for?!" the redhead shouts as she clutches her head.
"For acting like a selfish brat." I reply sternly. "Granted, I technically haven't trained you yet, but I know myself well enough to know that future-me would never encourage this kind of reckless behavior. If you really wanted to take out this smalltime tyrant, you should've done so by asking the rest of us for help. True, future-me may have trained you in how to fight, but neither he nor I would ever try to instill some nonsensical hogwash like "honor in taking an army down on your own" into any student under our tutelage. We know better than that, and so should you, Severa."
"I know…" Severa mutters embarrassed. "Just… I know, okay? I get it, I was stupid for acting on my own when there were allies perfectly willing to help me." She chances a glance at me. "Um… You still won't mind if I tag along with you after this, do you?"
I give her an easy smile. "Nope. That's one of the reasons I came here in the first place; to pick you up."
She raises an eyebrow. "Hold on. How did you even know I was here?"
My smile turns into a smug smirk. "I have my ways. Long story short, I've had someone search and keep an eye on you up until now, so I knew exactly where to look by the time I got the report."
Severa stops mid-step, much to the confusion of everyone else.
"Hm? Something the matter?" I ask curiously.
"You…spied on me…" Severa mutters.
A question mark pops up over my head. "Uh… Care to repeat that? I don't follow."
A circle of flames erupts around the redhead as she glares at me with what can only be Female Rage.
"You sent someone to spy on me, and you didn't even tell me! Stalker! Pervert! Creep!"
As Severa moves with the circle of fire, I back away slowly with my hands raised in a placating gesture.
"Uh, hold on now, Severa. I think you're missing the point."
"Peeping tom! Lech! Baka-sensei!"
"Oi! Are you even listening to me?!"
"Um, am I interrupting something?" a male voice asks.
The tension, and Severa's conjured flames, briefly vanish as we turn to where the voice came from. Looks like a generic Villager.
Wait a minute.
Holland Lvl 10 Class: Villager
Aha! Found him!
"Holland!" Severa exclaims surprised.
"Oh, it's you, Severa." the Villager sighs. "I heard a lot of noise a few moments ago and went to check what happened. When I reached this hallway, it looked like a storm had blown through the place. What happened here? And who are these people?"
"Never mind that." Severa replies, indignation towards me forgotten. "I'm leaving, Holland, and you're coming with me."
Holland's face pales. "Severa, I… I can't. You know I can't. If I don't earn Nelson's coin, she'll starve." The Villager looks down in shame. "I know it's blood money, but-"
"Your wife is PREGNANT, Holland!" Severa interrupts. "You know that, don't you?"
"Of course I know that!" Holland replies fearfully. "And it's none of your concern!"
I smirk as I take a potshot at my redheaded student. "Gee, this kind of stubborn refusal sounds awfully familiar, eh, Severa? Guess it's true as they say; Birds of a feather flock together."
Severa pinches the bridge of her nose. "Rub it in, will you, Jack-sensei. Wait, that's not important right now!" She shakes her head. "Do you love your child, Holland? Do you love your wife?"
"Of course I do!" Holland answers.
"Then stop making excuses!" Severa snarls back. "I know that parents will do anything for their children… But I also know how it feels when a child loses her parents." Her eyes grow downcast. "This world's got far too many kids who've gone through that. If you stay, you'll be killed or worse. And your child deserves better!"
Huh. A quick check on Severa's stat sheet shows that that small speech bumped up her CHAR a bit. Nice, girl. You're improving by the minute.
Holland gulps. "Severa, I… I'm sorry. I didn't know. That must have been hard for you."
The hallway falls silent. But it's moments like these that remind me that silent moments can easily be on the productive side. Holland's expression shifts from fearful to determined with speeds I haven't seen since Cordelia decided that she'd fight in the final battle against Gangrel.
"You're right." Holland declares. "My child deserves better. Let's get out of here."
Severa looks at her friend (?) with wide eyes. "Really?!"
Holland nods with a smile. "Yes, really. But we have to hurry!"
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little scamp and the tongue-tied coward. What are you two doing, shirking your duty like this while we're under attack, hmm?"
Any determination Holland may have had a second ago is replaced with a face so pale, he looks like a finely sculpted snow man. We turn towards where the slimy voice came from.
Nelson Lvl 45 Class: Sage
Holland gulps fearfully. "N-Nelson…"
So that's our target. Huh. For a former imperial, I expected him to be more…well-kempt. His hair looks rather messy, and, non-physical fighter or not, he looks scrawnier than any proper soldier, much less a general, would find acceptable. Guess his little hiatus from army life did little good for his discipline.
The valmese sneers at the Villager. "Not only are you just standing there while we're under attack, you won't even raise your weapon when the enemy is right in front of you?! Pah! I knew you were worthless, but a traitor to boot? I would be better off getting rid of you now and have one less mouth to feed. Should give the rats something to chew on other than our precious rations."
"Look who's talking!" Severa snarls. "You're the biggest rat of them all, Nelson. You talk big, but all you do is scuttle around and pick on innocent people who can't defend themselves. And for what? Just to feed your fragile ego because you lack the strength to stand up for yourself against some real competition!"
I whistle in appreciation. Hearing Severa snark at someone else feels oddly satisfying, especially if they deserve it. Dang, she knows how to deliver a harsh burn, and that's before she conjures those flames.
Nelson scowls at the young Mercenary. "Well, aren't we mouthy all of a sudden. Looks like you decided to grow a backbone and rebel against me too, and at the worst possible moment, at that. You think I'll just let this slide, you little wench?! I can take care of Holland any time I wish. But you? I'll make an example out of you right here and now!"
"I was never loyal to you in the first place, you idiot!" Severa counters. She readies her golden broadsword. "You've done nothing but tick me off from the moment we met. Oppress the innocent, extort a poor, innocent girl like me… I'll show you that you messed with the wrong girl, you wretch! Fair warning; you had it coming a long time ago!"
BGM: Scarlet Warrioress, Fairy Tail OST
Nelson pulls out a Thoron tome from within his Sage's robe. "I'll put you in your place, you brat!"
Severa dashes straight towards Nelson. "Make me!"
Nelson raises his hand. A yellow spell circle appears above where Severa's about to run. Severa catches a glimpse of the incoming spell and rolls to the side in the nick of time. Lightning crashes down on her previous position moments later.
"Gotcha!" Nelson shouts triumphantly and blasts Severa with another lightning spell. Severa blocks the spell with her sword, but is pushed back from the sheer force behind it. Sparks of residual lightning mana dance across the blade as she lowers it and glares at the smug Sage.
"What's the matter, little girl?" Nelson taunts. "Who exactly messed with the wrong person?"
"I'll make you eat those words." Severa growls as she charges the former general once more. Right as Nelson launches another spell, Severa jumps to a pillar and kicks off it. As Severa bounces around, Nelson's frustration mounts as the Mercenary becomes difficult to hit.
Severa's frantic movement pays off as she finally reaches her striking range. Flames envelop her sword as she lands in front of Nelson. The redhead swings her burning broadsword with a battle cry, leaving beautiful arcs of fire wherever she swings her weapon. Nelson backs away and dodges frantically, though the various singes that appear on his face and clothes show that Severa has him on the ropes.
That is, until Nelson coats his right hand in lightning magic and catches Severa's sword with it. His pained grimace shows that it still burns, but he manages to stop the assault, to Severa's shock. Then he points his opened tome towards the Mercenary. The pages begin to flutter rapidly as a ball of magic appears in front of them.
"Take this!" *Krrzz-Bram!*
Severa cries out in pain as she's hit point-blank by Nelson's Arcthunder spell. Nelson cackles triumphantly as Severa suffers under the potent spell.
"I won't…back down…from you!" Severa grits out, this time shocking Nelson with her resilience.
The flames around Severa's sword increase in size and temperature. Smoke rises from where Nelson holds the blade, until he shouts in pain and lets go. At the same time, the pain breaks his concentration on the spell, giving Severa a precious moment to breathe. Severa renews her assault, slashes Nelson's tome in half, burns it to ashes in the process, and then delivers a devastating series of slashes across his chest, legs and arms.
As Nelson stumbles, Severa crouches in a stance. The flames around her sword grow into a roaring inferno.
"I've had enough!" *Shing! BOOM!*
The swing, and the resulting explosion, launch Nelson straight through a wall. As the dust settles, the ruffian Sage lies on a pile of rubble, scorched and unconscious.
Severa has leveled up!
BGM ends
Severa falls on her butt panting. Right as she's about to fall backwards, I catch her.
"I'm impressed." I remark smiling. "I didn't expect you to pull a win like that against him."
Severa flips some hair over her shoulder and crosses her arms while a blush grows on her face. "W-well, it's to be expected! I was trained by you, Jack-sensei. Of course he didn't stand a chance."
My smile grows wry. "Sure, sure. Alright, let's meet up with the others."
I put my other arm under her legs and lift her up, which only makes her blush deepen.
"H-hey! What do you think you're doing?!"
"I doubt you have the strength to walk back on your own, so I'll just help you there until you've recovered." I reply. "Sound good to you?"
Severa looks at me wide-eyed before she averts her eyes. She's still blushing, and now she's pouting on top of that.
"Fine. But only because you asked so nicely…"
By the time we reunite with the other Shepherds, they've already routed the other members of Nelson's band, thus ending the former Valmese general's reign for good. The village elder is busy thanking Chrom for saving their village from starvation.
As for Nelson himself, I had a clone carry his burnt hide along with us for further…applications. Though my clone must've awakened my inner sadist, as he instead opted for making stone chains out of the rubble, hogtie Nelson with them and drag the Sage behind him with absolutely no regard for the valmese's wellbeing whatsoever. I admit, I was tempted to do something similar myself, but I didn't expect my clone to go through with it. Good thing the declaration of human rights hasn't been written down in this world, or I'd probably be court-martialed for treating a POW poorly.
BGM: Because I love you, Earthbound music
Severa fiddles around in a chest before she lets out a whoop of joy. "Yes, here it is!"
Chrom looks at the tiny object in her hand. "Is that a ring?"
Severa immediately hugs the ring close to her. "It's MY ring, and I'll thank you to stop staring so lustily at it! It's worth more than anything in the world to me." Severa grits her teeth. "That rat Nelson stole it one night while I was sleeping. By the time I realized what had happened, that crook waved the ring around like some toy and forced me to work for him!"
Chrom smiles. "Well, I'm glad you were able to get it back."
Severa flips some hair over her shoulder as she turns her back on Chrom. "…Hmph."
*Whang!* "Ow!"
Though she only makes two steps before she walks right into Cordelia (and her breastplate).
The Falcon Knight has the decency to look sheepish. "Oh… My bad."
Severa rubs her nose gingerly. "That hurt! What the heck is that armor made of?! What do you even want?"
"Just to thank you for helping us." Cordelia replies smiling. "You thought bravely, er…"
"Severa… My name's Severa."
Cordelia nods. "It suits you, somehow." Then she notices something glitter on the floor. It's the ring Severa was looking for. "Oh, looks like you dropped your ring. Here, let me help."
It's only now that Severa realizes she dropped her ring when she bumped into Cordelia. As the Falcon Knight picks it up, her eyes widen.
"What- But how…is this possible?" she asks shaken.
"Something wrong, Cordelia?" Chrom asks curiously.
Cordelia faces her husband shaking. She shows him the ring. "C-Chrom, her ring… It bears the crest of House Ylisse!"
Lissa gapes at the news. "What?! But that's the ring our parents gave you, Chrom! Isn't there supposed to be only one of that ring?!"
Cordelia's eyes widen once more as she connects the dots. She faces Severa. "Wait… But that means…"
Severa nods. "Yes. I'm your and Chrom's daughter – and Lucina's sister."
Cordelia places her hands over her chest. "Goodness… To think we would be blessed with not one, but two children."
Severa mutters something unintelligible. "…lonely…"
"What was that?"
"I SAID, I thought you'd be lonely, so I came here to see you!" Severa shuffles her feet. "You're welcome."
Cordelia smiles at her younger daughter. "That's so sweet."
"D-don't mock me!" Severa yells. "You don't care! You don't care at all…"
"How could you possibly think that?" Cordelia asks confused. "I'm thrilled beyond words to meet you."
Severa clenches her fists as her whole body shakes. Her slightly slumped pose hides her eyes under the shadow of her hair. "Then why'd you leave me?"
As she straightens up, her face is a myriad of emotions. Anger, sadness, resentment, confusion, loneliness…
"You said you had to go off to fight for what really mattered, and you never came back!" the younger redhead screams at her mother. A tear escapes her eye. "You picked Daddy over me!"
Cordelia looks at her younger daughter stunned before she sighs. "Now that's not fair, Severa. You may not know it yet, but someday, you'll meet a man who captures your heart completely. You will love him more than anything in the world." Cordelia places a hand over her heart as she smiles wistfully. "That's what Chrom means to me. And one day, there will be a man who means the same to you. But there's more to it than that. When I said I was fighting for what mattered, there was more than just Chrom. I think I meant both you and Lucina as well. I'd want nothing more than to build a world where my daughters could grow up happy and strong. At least, that's what I want right now."
Severa wipes the tear from her eye. "You think I don't know that? I mean, I DO know that, but…"
Guilt crosses Cordelia's face as she looks at the crying Mercenary. "I'm sorry I wasn't a better mother – neither to you or Lucina."
"Well, you're still MY mother, which makes you the best mother in the world." Severa counters.
At that moment, Lucina steps in with a smile. "And I couldn't agree more, Severa. We're both blessed to have such a wonderful mother."
Severa gives her sister a sour look. "Oh, it's you…"
Lucina recoils in shock at the cold greeting. "I-I'm sorry? Did I do something to offend you, Severa? You've been like this ever since we finally met again outside the castle."
Severa stomps towards her sister. "Oh, so now you feel like being the caring sister?! Well, can it! It was always about you! You were born first, so you became Daddy's heir and Mom's golden little baby! The starling girl who everyone had their eyes on while growing up. You were always Little Miss Perfect, wowing the masses whenever you accomplished something. And what about me? You never payed me any mind – no one did! You just took me for granted! And when you convinced me to join you on this blasted trip through time, you didn't even bother to look for me when we got separated! You just ran straight to Daddy and watched him like you always did!" By this point, Severa is almost in Lucina's shocked face. "You just left me here without a second thought!"
Lucina scowls at the accusation. "Don't think for a second that I never cared for you! Did you honestly think I had it easy, finding myself all alone when I arrived in this point in time?! There's not a single waking moment that I spent worrying about our friends who traveled with us – even more so in your case! But I had to make sure Father and Mother survived. And I had to prevent Aunt Emmeryn's death at all costs!" Lucina clenches her fists until they shake. "Please believe me, Severa. You were the only family I had left. Not knowing how you fared tore at my mind every single day. But even if I had time to search for you, I had no idea where to start. You could be anywhere, even as far as the other side of the Long Sea."
"You didn't know where I was, so you didn't even bother trying to find me?!" Severa yells back. "Some family you are!"
Lucina averts her eyes as guilt crosses her face. "I… I'm so sorry, Severa. You're right. I should have at least tried…"
Severa's entire body shakes. Tears stream down from her eyes. "Do you…have any idea how lonely I felt?"
Lucina looks at her surprised. "What?"
"I was devastated when I realized we were separated!" Severa yells while crying freely. "I was so scared! I know this is the same world as the one we grew up in, but I knew nothing about it! Everyone I knew was gone – even my own sister! I was all on my own, with no clue where to go! Every night, I clung to hope, wishing beyond any reason that you were out there somewhere, looking for me!"
By this point, Severa starts sobbing. "And every night, that hope died a little bit. I had almost given up… I thought I'd be stuck on this stupid island forever, spending every night from now on falling asleep alone. And what happens right when I'm about to give up? You show up with Daddy, Mother, Sensei, the whole army!"
Lucina looks at her sister confused. "But doesn't that make you happy?"
"Of course I'm happy, you dolt!" Severa yells. "You finally came for me! How could I not be happy?!" Severa hugs Lucina tight. "It's just… Did you have to take so long? I hate sleeping alone! And… I'm sorry for being so mean to you, Lucina. Both you and Mother."
Lucina returns the hug with a smile. "It's all right, Severa. I forgive you. I just want to hold my sister again."
And so, the sisters reconcile with hugs and tears. Well, mostly tears for Severa's part.
"It seems we're the luckiest parents alive, wouldn't you agree, Chrom?" Cordelia asks her husband as she sidles up to him.
Chrom smiles at seeing his two daughters. "I'm not completely certain yet, but for now, I'm inclined to agree."
BGM ends
Quest alert
Side quest: Ambivalence
Nelson's castle falls after a violent battle. With the petty tyrant and his group of ruffians out of the picture, the people can finally live peacefully again, without running the risk of starving. Now to handle Nelson himself.
Objective: Defeat Nelson
Objective completed!
Rewards: You gain 10 000 EXP! You gain 10 000 gold!
Bonus objectives: Don't let Severa die. Help Severa reach Holland
All bonus objectives cleared!
Bonus rewards: You gain 1 000 EXP! Your relationship with Severa has improved!
To be continued
Severa's character sheet
Severa Lvl 27 Class: Mercenary
Cordelia's daughter from the future. Having grown up in the shadow of such a prestigious family as hers has left her with an inferiority complex with an attitude to match it. However, despite her snarky behavior, she cares for her family deep down – she just doesn't admit it easily. Under Jack's tutelage, she developed a skillset and personality traits similar to those of the Crimson Princess, Stella Vermillion. The hottest tsundere alive – in more ways than one.
Born on January 21st.
Titles: Second princess of Ylisse (+ 4 % CHAR)
Firebrand (+ 15 % Fire damage)
HP: 4 450 / 4 450
MP: 1 900 / 1 900
STR: 39.1 (38 * 1.03)
VIT: 38.1 (37 * 1.03)
DEX: 37.1 (36 * 1.03)
INT: 22
WIS: 21
CHAR: 10.4 (10 * 1.04)
LUCK: 15
ITEMS:
Laevateinn (Equipped)
Concoction
Skills:
Sword mastery, Lvl 37 [41 %], Passive
The sword is quite possibly the most well-known weapon in history, often being depicted as the weapon of choice by hero and villain alike or even as a symbol of power. While swords generally deal less damage than other weapons, they make up for it by being easier to wield.
Increases attack speed and attack power by 185 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind.
Fire mastery, Lvl 30 [12 %], Passive
Fire is the element of power. With great power comes great responsibility, and never is this more apparent than when one wields the element that embodies heat. If carefully contained, fire provides warmth and light when the night grows cold and dark. However, if left unsupervised, even the smallest flame can raze an entire city to the ground with no hope of stopping it.
Passively increases damage dealt with fire element magic by 150 %. The cost of all fire-related skills is reduced by 11 %.
Mastered spells:
Fire
Elfire
Arcfire
Dragon Fang
Spell Blade, Lvl 47 [33 %], Active, Cost: 40 MP per minute
While channeling mana through specially designed weapons is nothing new, few have learned how to convert that mana into a spell to be wielded along with the weapon itself. This is mainly due to the difficulty of balancing physical and magical prowess at the same time. But the benefits of accomplishing this task are often very rewarding. Not only do your attacks become stronger – they can penetrate defenses more easily, since it's rare for adversaries to be able to defend themselves on both fronts simultaneously.
Allows the caster to wield their magic by using a weapon as the medium. Attack power increases by 144 % of the caster's INT. Should the spell be of any element, any attack with the wielded weapon will have that element as well.
Dragon Fang, Lvl 28 [16 %], Active, Cost: 180 MP
A fire-elemental spell with enough power to melt stone with ease. Summons a massive serpent made entirely of fire, which the caster can control freely. While extremely hot, the serpent does not burn immediately upon contact. It only does so at the whim of the caster, making it both destructive and versatile.
Base damage: 1 460 % of the caster's INT. Element: Fire
Preview of the next chapter:
*Camera shows two opposing armies at a stand-off in a village.*
Cavalry: Move it, oafs! We claimed these lands first!
Knights: Fat chance, bub! We move for no one!
Chrom: *Sigh* Great, just what this village needed – two armies about to turn it into a warzone.
Yarne: Hey, at least the fight will be epic!
Jack: Hm… I remember that bunny to be more…cowardly.
Both armies: Hey, you there! Help us out!
Also both armies: Back off, amateurs! We saw them first!
Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:
Unstoppable force vs immovable object! Clash in the no-man's land!
Chrom: So, which army are supporting, Robin?
Omake: Comedy troupe
"…and that's the secret behind the mouse, the spoon, and the most gruesome torture method in Plegian history." Henry finishes with a flourish.
Jack and Ricken snicker at the Dark Mage's joke.
"Hah! That has to be one of the funniest jokes I've ever heard." Ricken comments grinning.
Henry grins back. "And do you know what the best part is? It's a true story!"
Jack's own grin falters a bit. "Huh. No offense, Henry, but you plegians have a twisted sense of humor."
The Dark Mage shrugs. "Can't argue with that. From what the ravens tell me, that's the main reason why pretty much no one wants to help Plegia if they ever go to war. Nobody really likes us."
Ricken snaps his fingers. "Speaking of humor, maybe the three of us could start something together."
Jack raises an eyebrow. "Like what?"
Ricken grins. "A comedy routine. I mean, we need to keep the mood up in our camp somehow."
Jack rubs his chin. "Hey, that sounds like a great idea. The two of us already tried our hands at it right before the war against Plegia started. And Henry will fit right in."
"Oh, you didn't tell me you had a history in comedy before." Henry replies smiling. "Sign me up. This is gonna be awesome!"
Ricken matches his smile. "It's a deal, then. Starting today, we'll work on some stuff to bring smiles and laughter to the rest of our army."
Jack joins in with a grin. "And I have the perfect start to lay our groundwork. How about this one? An ylissean, a feroxi and a dynast walk into a bar…"
New skills:
Hurricane Fist, Lvl 23 [12 %], Active, Cost: 108 MP
A skill where the caster concentrates a massive amount of mana-infused air behind their elbow while preparing a punch. Upon striking, all the compressed air is unleashed at once to propel the arm forward. The more air compressed behind the elbow, the greater the propulsive force. Just make sure your fist can handle the impact, or you'll run the risk of never being able to use it again.
Base damage: 300 % of the user's STR + 1 400 % of the user's INT. Element: Wind
Note: Using this skill counts as attacking barehanded.
Jack's encyclopedic corner:
Laevateinn, Sword, Base damage: 80, Unique
A golden broadsword originally wielded by Stella Vermillion, the Crimson Princess. Runes are carved into the blade to make channeling mana through it easier. While golden in color, this weapon is not made of actual gold, but of a metal that is especially well-suited for channeling fire magic.
Damage dealt increases by 10 % if mana is being channeled through the blade.
Falcon Knight, Class
A seasoned Pegasus Knight who has devoted herself to mastering the lance. They do not commit wholly to the lance, however. By drawing on their innate magic capacity, these fliers also wield healing magic to mend the wounds of injured comrades. These skills, combined with their mastery of their winged mounts, have earned them illustrious reputations both on and off the battlefield; Angelic helpers when with their allies, but ruthless bringers of death when facing their enemies.
Attack power, attack speed and accuracy increase by 10 % when attacking with a polearm. All skills related to polearms gain 5 % more EXP. HP restored through healing magic increases by 5 %. Damage taken from physical attacks increase by 7 %. This unit counts both as a mounted unit and a flier.
Ruin, Tome, Rare
An advanced dark magic tome that amplifies the wielder's bloodlust and destructive tendencies. It is said that when a Sorcerer's apprentice once tried to copy one such tome, the sinister power within the pages drove him mad and sent him on a rampage. The only thing that could stop the crazed student was for his own master to put him down. Ever since this incident, only masters of the dark arts are permitted to write and enchant these tomes for any sort of use. While the risks of channeling mana through this tome are great, the rewards are greater still, as they give a taste of the true fury of dark magic.
Increases damage dealt from dark-element spells by 13 %. Critical hit rate of dark-element spells increases by 50 %. Accuracy of dark-element spells decreases by 20 %.
Introducing the furry counterpart to Akatsuki!
Remember when Jack contacted Itachi near the end of chapter 10? Itachi mentioned that he would need the help of a certain group of individuals in order to accomplish the task Jack gave him. This group was the nutty little squad shown in this chapter. I think I really need to stop with these squirrel parodies, but I don't want to! I have way too much fun!
Severa, Severa, Severa… Where do I even begin with this girl? Seriously, she probably has one of the hardest recruitment criteria among the 2nd-gen Shepherds, if not the entire game. Not only does she have to make it all the way to Holland with all those ruffians standing in her way, she does it by placing herself right where they can snipe her from the other side of a wall. I just- Why, Severa?! It only gets worse on the higher difficulties when the ruffians are both stronger and there's more of them. I mean, sure, she inherits Cordelia's amazing class lineup and available skills on top of whatever she can get from her father, but the big problem is getting her on your side. Just… Ugh! Getting her can be such a pain!
Though I can see why she's so popular. This young lady just oozes personality. The tsundere schtick is just the outermost layer of her character. Peel it away, and you'll find a girl with an eye for fashion, a surprising work ethic when properly motivated, and a really sweet side for those who can thaw her out. Heck, when I first saw her, I thought she'd fit better as Maribelle's child, since the similarities seemed stronger for Maribelle than for Cordelia. That is, until I understood Severa's backstory. To be fair, living in Cordelia's shadow would be difficult for just about anyone. And, I'll admit, adding both Chrom's and Lucina's shadows on top of that in this fic was a jerk-ish move on my part, even though that was a direct consequence of pairing Chrom with Cordelia. Still, I believe this setting for Severa has some potential for awesome interactions. She'll have her moments.
In case you don't know who Stella Vermillion is, look her up. She is, in my own opinion, the hottest tsundere-type character conceived in Japanese fictional history, not only due to her physical appearance (She's smoking hot!), but also due to her caring personality and her being an accomplished pyromancer. And my comments regarding her physical appearance will probably send me to jail, because she's underage in most countries. Worth it.
In case you're wondering, I don't have any punchline for Jack's joke at the end of the omake. That's something you'll have to make yourself, in case you want to.
That's all for now. Please rate and review. VipeR out.
