Passover, or Easter, as some people like to call it… A time often associated with eggs, rabbits, candy, chickens and the color yellow. Or, at least it is where I live. And then there are those who see this holiday for its spiritual aspects, myself included.

Greetings, dear readers. CrossVipeR316 here with the latest chapter of Gamer Emblem Awakening, just in time for Passover. And what better way to signify this than by giving the resident bunnies of the Shepherds some spotlight? Well, you already knew that if you read the preview I left in the last chapter.

From what I read in the reviews, the overall response regarding the squirrels that Jack hired was positive. Good to know that idea payed off. Seems you guys have as much fun with those nutty critters as I do.

Before we begin, let's address some reviews.

1silvergamer2: Shining Finger Sword? Nice try, but I have something potentially even more over-the-top for the Scion of legend. I admit I'm a bit biased towards Owain in a positive manner, which is why I've planned some insane stuff for him. Lissa might have my head if she found out I'm the one responsible.

3-13 Sniper: You're definitely on to something regarding Lucina. Let's just say, she's got some iconic fighting game references queued up in the future, simply because she's that awesome.
And I agree with you on the lyrics of "Uncontrollable". The context in which it's played makes for some of the most confusing choices in video game music I've ever heard. I mean, sure, it's a cool song. It just…doesn't seem to fit when you're fighting, say, a giant four-armed gorilla who's totally out of your league for the better part of the entire main campaign.

Shadowphoenix34: Henry did mention that they're chipmunks, so there. Also, the Kakuzu moment is pretty much a jab at how much of a stickler for money the manga counterpart of the squirrel is.

Ittehgaps & Sapphireweapon12: Nah, the squirrels just emulate the personality of certain Naruto characters, with a few extra traits or objects thrown in for good measure. I mean, if the squirrels really emulated the abilities as well, they could probably conquer the whole continent in months. Can you imagine squirrel-Nagato perform a tree-sized Planetary Devastation? That thought is just frightening.

Copyright disclaimer: I only own the plot of this fic. For a full copyright disclaimer, please read chapter 1.

Even if I can't take credit for it, I'm proud of my heritage. – Yarne


Chapter 16:

Unstoppable force vs immovable object!
Clash in the no-man's land!

POV: General

Nelson slowly opens his eyes. His body aches all over from his last battle against the redheaded girl. Curses, but that traitorous wench hits hard! The last thing he remembers before he lost consciousness was being on the receiving end of her blazing sword, a violent explosion, and a stone wall that, by all rights, should've stood firm instead of him crashing right through it like it was some botched amateur build. He had already had every wall in that castle checked; they could have easily passed even the empire's strict standards.

"More importantly…" Nelson muses for himself. "…what happened afterwards?"

That's when he notices his lack of mobility. As his eyes fully open, Nelson finds himself tied to a chair to the point that the only part he can move is his neck.

"Oh, finally awake, I see." a voice remarks slightly to his left.

Nelson raises his head and takes in his surroundings. The fabric walls indicate that he's in a tent of some sort. With him are three people: Prince Chrom, a silver-haired woman and a man in dark purple robes and a white great sword on his back.

Nelson narrows his eyes at the robed man. "Wait… I remember you. You were with that backstabbing redhead who turned on me."

Jack grins. "Sure was. And for your information, that was one of my students."

Nelson struggles against his bonds. "You! So you're the reason my ambitions for an empire fell apart! Mark my words; when I get out of here I will make you-" *Whack!* "Ow!"

Jack pulls back his hand from the karate chop. "Unless your megalomaniac mind has noticed, you're hardly in any position to make any threats, Nelson."

Nelson growls. "Well, out with it, then! What do you want from me?!"

Chrom approaches with a scowl. "We want to know everything you can tell us about the Valmese empire."

Robin picks up from there. "Command hierarchy, troop numbers, military organization, supply lines, no detail is too small."

The former Valmese general scoffs. "Hah! And what makes you think I would divulge such information willingly? Granted, I've no more love for the empire than you do, but that's not nearly enough to make us allies."

As a wicked grin appears on Jack's face, Nelson realizes that he should have considered his answer more thoroughly. "Oh, we never expected you to comply without question. Of course, if you did share your knowledge willingly, we would have simply sent you to be judged in the capital for your crimes." Jack mockingly waggles a finger close to Nelson's face, much to the captive's ire. "Buuut since you decided to be tight-lipped, it means we have to pry that information out of you in a less…civilized manner."

At that moment, two more people enter the tent. One is an Assassin who places a small desk on the ground near Nelson. The other is a Dark Mage carrying a chair with writing supplies placed on top of it.

"Hup. There you go. One desk for Bubbles to write on." Gaius reports as he dusts off his hands.

Henry follows suit. "Soo…what now? Do we ask him nicely while Robin takes notes?"

Jack shakes his head. "Unfortunately, it won't go that smoothly. We'll just have to convince him to share his knowledge. That's where I'll need your help again, Henry."

The Dark Mage points at himself. "Who, me? Whatcha need?"

Jack's wicked grin returns with a vengeance. "I figured you've been a bit bored as of late. Why don't you play with our guest for a while, and we'll come back later to see if he's more cooperative by then."

Henry's face lights up in a delighted smile. "Really? Sweet!"

Jack raises two fingers. "However, there's two rules that you must always follow; he must remained tied to his chair, and he will remain in this tent until we return."

Henry nods. "He stays tied to the chair, and stays in the tent until you get back. Got it."

"Good. Aside from that, you can do anything you want."

Jack turns to the tent's exit. "Well, we're done here for now. We'll be back in a few minutes, Henry. Have fun."

Chrom, Robin and Gaius follow suit. The tent falls silent. Nelson, for his part, raises an eyebrow. Really, they effectively left him with a child in a man's body. What could this buffoon possibly do to him?

Henry giggles as he turns towards Nelson. "Tee hee hee…"

"And what's so funny?" Nelson huffs.

"Oh, just thinking of all the fun we're gonna have." Henry replies.

Nelson feels a chill through his spine. There's something about this boy that just screams wrong. He could swear the inside of the tent was warmer before this Dark Mage entered. Nelson's eyes widen in shock as he notes what happens as Henry's giggling intensifies. Dark purple mist seemingly billows out from the bottom of his robes, until the whole ground is covered by the sinister miasma. Dark wisps slowly rise into the air. Come to think of it, the inside of the tent seems darker as well. With dark mist filling the air, Henry's giggling seems to take a distorted undertone that flows with the dark atmosphere. And all the while, alarm bells keep going off in Nelson's head. The more he's in the presence of this…whatever he is (Nelson stopped seeing him as a mere boy a while ago), the more unnerving this whole situation gets. No, not unnerving. Frightening.

And then, Henry opens his eyes.


POV: Jack

Despite having about half the camp between me and Nelson's current position, I can hear his terrified screams loud and clear.

Gaius gives me a flat look. "You're evil, Buttercup. Evil."

I smirk. "Heh. I prefer "low-key sadistic", thank you very much."

Robin frowns. "And what part of leaving that man tied up and alone with Henry counts as low-key? I'm not sure what to think about Henry, but there's something about him that just unnerves me."

I glance at my wife. "Would you rather I left him alone with Tharja?"

All three of my companions recoil in shock. "NO!"

Gaius clears his throat. "I mean, that's not the point. Why the heck did you resort to torture to get the information out of him?"

I shrug. "Hey, I wouldn't do this if he just agreed to cooperate with us from the beginning. I mean, really. He should've realized how hopeless his situation was the moment he found himself bound to a chair in the middle of the enemy's camp with no means to escape."

"GYAAAHH!"

Chrom sweatdrops. "Uh… Will we even be able to get anything out of him by the time we get back?"

I nod. "I think he'll open up once we remind him that refusing to cooperate will lead to another session with Henry. If that fails, having Lissa whisper sweet nothings in his ear should mellow him out a bit."

Never let it be said that I'm above psychological manipulation. Some good old good cop / bad cop can work wonders against tight-lipped prisoners.

A few minutes later, I approach the tent again with Robin and Chrom in tow.

"Ooh, what happens if I press here?" we hear Henry ask from within the tent.

"Aaaaaaahh!"

"Nya ha ha! Hey, that was a funny sound. Let's do it again!"

"AAAAAAAAaaahh~…"

I lift up the flap to a strange sight. Nelson's been reduced to a shivering, sobbing wreck while Henry's poking him on the cheek.

"I think he's broken, Jack." Henry mutters disappointed. "And we had so much fun too."

"Those eyes…" Nelson whimpers. "Those dark, soulless eyes… I don't want to be dragged into the abyss. Make it stop, Mommy. Make it stop!"

I sweatdrop at the scene for a bit before I shake my head. "Ah, well, I guess it was good while it lasted. Nice work, Henry. You can go now."

"Really? But I wanna stay." Henry whines.

Nelson freezes up and looks at me desperately "No! Please! I'll tell you everything! Just don't leave me with that- Whatever he is! I'm begging you!"

I glance at Chrom with a smirk. "I'd say he's coherent enough for interrogation." I place a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Listen, Henry. How about you go and play with Nowi? She's in dire need of a playmate, but she hardly plays with anyone but me, and I'll be busy here for a while. Since you still look like you're in a playful mood, why not kill two birds with one stone?"

The Dark Mage rubs his chin before he smiles at me expectantly. "Do you mean literally?"

"*Sigh* No, Henry. It was a figure of speech. Nowi will get upset if you kill a bird for fun."

Henry's face lights up in realization. "Ooh… Okay, gotcha." As he leaves the tent, Henry briefly turns back to wave at Nelson with a cheerful smile. "Bye bye!"

The moment Henry is out of earshot, Nelson deflates from relief. I glance at Robin to find her already seated at the small desk, notebook open and the quill in her hand. All right, she's ready. Now to get our dear prisoner started.

I lean down until my face is right in front of Nelson's. "I believe this makes it clear what happens if you refuse to tell us everything you know. Now, then. My wife will ask most of the questions, but Chrom and I may have some of our own." I narrow my eyes. "Leave nothing out, no matter how small the detail. If I find out you did, I'll let Henry play with you for the rest of the day."


Needless to say, Nelson sang like a bird after that last threat. Seeing the man's bravado be reduced to nothing after just a few minutes alone with Henry greatly unnerved Robin and Chrom, but a few hours of interrogation later, Robin felt she had all the information she needed.

My wife casts a quick wind spell to dry the ink quickly – a trick that she picked up from Miriel. The pages soon stop fluttering, in which she closes the notebook with a satisfied sigh.

I cast one last glance at Nelson. "That was everything, right?"

The former general nods frantically. "Yes! Everything! I swear!"

I nod satisfied. "All right. Guess it's off to the trial for you then."

"What?! But I complied with all your terms!" Nelson protests. "How dare you!? This cruelty will not go unpunished!"

I smirk at Nelson. "To be clear, we put you under that interrogation as a prisoner of war. You still have to face justice for the tyranny you put the people under. To make sure you face a fair trial, we'll send you to the capital of Ylisse." My smirk turns into a predatory grin. "Or would you rather remain our prisoner, right where Henry can find you at any time?"

Nelson freaks out upon hearing the alternative. "I'll stand trial! I promise! Just take me away from him!"

*Poof*

A Shadow clone appears in a puff of smoke, mock salutes me, and picks Nelson up like a sack of potatoes.

"All right. Next stop: Ylisstol." my clone declares.

"What the- Hey! Put me down! What are you, and why do you look like the freak in the robes?!" Nelson shouts as my clone carries him out of the tent.

"Try talking my ears off, would you?" my clone replies grumpily. "If you don't shut up, I'll drag you along the ground all the way to Ylisstol…" *Poof* "…while looking like this. Nya ha ha!"

"AAAAAAAHH!"

Sounds like my clone Mimicked Henry. I'd say I'm proud of him, but that could easily be interpreted as narcissism.


"Hah! Yah!"

Severa swings her training sword fiercely. I sidestep one swing, parry the next, and simply block the third.

*Twack!*

"Hmm… Plenty of strength, and a good form that makes use of it." I comment for my initial assessment. "A bit slow due to emphasis on strength, but your technique is solid."

I push her back and retake my stance. "All in all, a viable fighting style for someone on your level, though there's quite a lot of room for improvement."

Severa huffs as she flips some hair over her shoulder. "It's always speed and technique with you, isn't it, Jack-sensei? Fighting fast doesn't amount to anything if you can't hit hard. Besides, we both know I can hit harder if I channel fire magic through my weapon."

I nod. "I'm well aware of that, Severa. However, how much have you considered fighting without your magic?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" the redhead returns annoyed. "You spent months training me in channeling magic through my weapon until it became second nature, and now you're telling me I have to learn how to fight without it?! Make up your mind already!"

"It's not that. In fact, I used to have a problem similar to yours when I myself first learned how to fight."

Severa raises an eyebrow. "You rarely talk about how you learned to fight. What brought this on?"

"I believe you can learn from my own experience." I Trace a sword in demonstration. "As you probably already know, I can use my mana to recreate any weapon I've seen."

Severa nods. "Yeah, you showed us that a lot when me and Lucina were kids. Though you mostly only showed silly weapons. Seriously, who fights with giant keys?"

I give her a knowing smile. "Oh, if only you knew, my dear student." My face instantly turns serious again. "Back on topic, though, there were some glaring weaknesses in me relying on weapons conjured by mana. Not only was I inexperienced in the craft, which resulted in brittle weapons, but I always needed a little time to concentrate and shape my mana to conjure the weapon – time that an opponent would never give me in a real fight. And I learned that lesson right in the middle of an important battle. Had I lost that one, I'm not even sure if I'd be around anymore."

Severa puts her hand under her chin. "So what you're telling me is that relying on my mana too much could put me in a bad spot in a fight. Did I get that right?"

I nod. "Exactly. If you rely on your ability to channel magic through your weapon too much, you will eventually reach a point where it becomes a crutch. What I want to achieve in your training is to turn that ability into a trump card instead. Learn to fight without your magic, and only use it against a challenging opponent. Of course, it's important that you train in how to use your magic to full effect as well. But it's just as important to learn when to use it, as it is how to use it."

"Well, out with it then. How do I learn to fight without my magic?"

"Well, you already have the basics down. I noticed during our spar that your moves remind me a lot of how Chrom fights."

Severa nods. "Yeah. Daddy told me it's a fencing style that's been passed down in the Ylissean royal family for generations. When I first showed you that style, you told me we would use that as the starting point for my training under you, Sensei."

"Hm, yeah. I get what future-me thought. In that case, maybe you should ask your father for some pointers for your training, since he knows a lot more about that fencing style than I do." I smile. "That should make a great point to end it for today. Now that I have a rough idea on how good you are in a fight, I can figure out how best to train you in the future. All in all, I think you're a bit rough around the edges, but you have a solid foundation to work on."

Severa huffs while she wipes some sweat off her brow. "Finally! Ugh, I HATE how sweaty I get during training. Did you have to push me so hard?"

"You know what they say." I reply grinning. "No pain, no gain."

Severa shudders. "You told me the exact same thing in the future. And then you forced me through all kinds of hellish exercises and spars, all while telling me that it's the best way for me to learn. You're a real slave driver, you know that?"

My grin turns sinister. "I do believe I warned you before your training started. You only have yourself to blame for going through with it, Severa. Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes?"

*Whack!*

Severa holds her head in pain. "Ow! What was that for?"

"I heard that Nelson managed to steal your mother's ring because he snuck up on you while you slept. I could understand if he forced your hand, but having the thing stolen because you let your guard down? That's unacceptable!"


AN: It honestly boggles my mind how easily Nelson managed to steal Cordelia's ring. It's almost like the writers couldn't find any realistic way for him to pull it off, so they just went with something simple. Personally, I consider it a plot hole to place Severa in the spot you find her in when you meet her.


"And how was I even supposed to know he was coming? You can't expect me to sleep with one eye open!"

"No, but I at least expect you to remain vigilant. Seriously, you've been fighting against Risen enemies for how long? Those walking corpses don't even need sleep, meaning they can attack at any point during the day. How the heck did you and the others survive against those abominations if you let your guard down when sleeping?"

Severa shuffles her feet. "It's- Well, I…" Then she pouts. "I'm a heavy sleeper, okay?! And I always used excuses to skip out on night watch."

I Trace my Bat of Discipline and slam the heavy weapon into the ground. "Do explain this blatant lack of solidarity and discipline – now."

Severa gulps. "Uh… Well…"

"You're a spoiled brat, aren't you?"

"Hey, that's low!"

"Am I wrong?"

Severa looks like she wants to yell in my face, but holds herself back. Heh. Looks like I hit the nail on the head.

"Sometimes, I can't decide whether I respect you or hate you." she huffs eventually. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a father to butter up." Severa leaves the sparring area with a cheerful smile plastered over her face and a skip in her step. "Oh, Daddy~!"

Chrom, your youngest daughter is on the loose! Send word to Ylisstol and tell the guards to lock the royal coffers – now!

Your relationship with Severa has improved!


As we all sit down for dinner, none of can miss the antics that have sprung up due to Lucina and Severa being a whole family again. Despite the bleak future the two girls came from, they show a remarkable amount emotional stability in that they trade banter with each other and their parents as casually as if nothing had actually happened in their timeline. That, or they're still trying to figure out this whole family thing again for the first time in years, and simply go with the flow for a lack of better options.

"How curious." Panne muses from my left.

I glance at the taguel. "How do you mean?"

"I was always under the impression that high-standing members of human society held their meals with more…how do you call it again? Ah, yes. Formality. Yet these two young ones show little of it when sharing a meal with their parents. In the case of the red-haired one, there is practically none at all."

I shrug. "Well, Chrom's never been one for formality. You know that just as well as I do. If someone means a lot to him, he shows it – in his own way."

Panne nods. "Indeed he does." Her expression turns wistful. "Seeing them like this, it makes me curious. What would it be like to raise a family?"

I raise an eyebrow. "You never struck me as the maternal kind of person, Panne. Stoic and protective, sure, but I have no memory of seeing you as affectionate."

"I am simply careful with whom I consider worthy of caring for." Panne answers curtly. "A taguel's bond is meant to last for life. With such deep commitment, having many bonds would make life very exhausting for my kind. Hence, we are usually very selective about who we bond with." The taguel frowns as she clenches the wooden spoon in her hand. "Though I can only speak for myself, seeing as I am the last taguel alive."

How in the world do you console someone in a situation like that? I, for one, have no idea, so I simply settle for nodding and showing that I at least try to show my condolences – for what they're worth.

Your relationship with Panne has improved!


"I'm still surprised how well it all worked out back there." Robin muses back in our tent. "Not only did we help some townsfolk get rid of a local tyrant, we managed to find Lucina's sister and even got valuable information on the Valmese army. If things continue at this rate, our incoming campaign may become easier than expected." She sighs. "Which would be for the best. The last war we were in was exhausting."

I nod. "Oh, I remember. Even when you tried to put up a strong front, you worked yourself to the bone. I'm still amazed you only collapsed once during preparations due to overworking."

Robin rubs her temples. "Please don't remind me. That was one of my weaker moments."

I place a hand on her shoulder. "No, not weakness. You simply forgot about yourself in your commitment to help Ylisse in a war. You're one of the most dependable people I know, Robin. No one who knows you would ever blame you for straining under the workload you carry every day, least of all me. I've said it before, and I'll say it again; I will support you every step of the way, in any way I can. That way, you'll always have someone to depend on, just like this army always depends on you."

Robin smiles. "Thank you, Jack." Then she turns back to the map she's laid out on her desk. "During our last war room meeting, you told me the route I have planned for us to travel back to Port Ferox passes by several points which the squirrels reported that interesting people are located in. Seeing as we found such an important ally in Severa when we followed that route, I think we should try out more of those places. Where should we head next?"

I study the map carefully. If I remember correctly, there's an important town south of our travel route. I eventually find it on the map and put my finger on it. "This town. It shouldn't be too far off our path, and I know for sure that's the next point of interest."

Robin nods and jots down a few words in her notebook. To this day, she remains secretive about what she writes in there, no matter how much I try to pry her secrets open. One time, she said, and I quote: "So long as you keep secrets for me, Jack, I keep secrets from you. It's only fair, wouldn't you say?"

I can't really argue with that logic, especially not when she bats her eyelashes at me like when she did that time.

I'm a sucker for my wife's feminine wiles.

Robin rises from her chair and stretches her body. A satisfied sigh escapes her lips as she relaxes. "Phew. That should be everything we need before tomorrow's march. I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted."

I nod. "Yeah, it's getting pretty late. Might as well get some extra sleep."

Decisions made, we both strip down to our shirts and pants before we wiggle into our shared bedroll. A few turns on the knob, and the lantern goes out. In the dark of the approaching night, Robin snuggles up to me.

"Love you." she mumbles tiredly.

I kiss her on the forehead. "Love you back – with all my heart."


Timeskip: The next morning

The convoy's traveled quite some distance since we broke camp this morning. If I read the map right, we should be reaching a fork in the road pretty soon. Right on cue, I notice a bush near the road rustle. A squirrel carrying what looks like a paddle wrapped in leaves appears before me.

I crouch down in front of the small critter. "Good morning, Kisame. So you're my guide for this location?"

Kisame nods (with what looks like some kind of grin). "Indeed I am, Jack. I was hoping you would pass by soon."

I signal for the rest of our convoy to follow my lead. After Robin and I decided on the traveling plans last night, she informed the others that I may give this very signal in case one of the reported locations Itachi and co. scoped out would be nearby.

I hand Kisame a nut, in case he would ask for one down the road. "All right, lead the way."

Kisame gobbles down the treat in record time. "My thanks. Now, please follow me."

As we travel down the road, Severa sidles up to me. "Jack-sensei, do you think we'll find more of mine and Lucina's comrades along the road?"

I nod. "I have good reason to believe we'll find them. See the squirrel leading our way? That's how we found you."

Severa gives the critter another look. "Huh. And here I thought you were just having an eccentric moment whenever someone told me you talk to squirrels. They seem more capable than I thought."

I smile knowingly. "You don't even know half of it."

About half an hour later, we spot a town in the distance.

"That's the place, everyone!" I shout behind me. "We might as well stock up on provisions while we're there!"

"Wonderful!" Stahl exclaims happily. "I'm starting to run out of ingredients for my stews."

Turns out shopping has to wait. We barely clear the outer parts of the town when we note two armies at a standoff among the buildings. On one side are mainly heavily armored infantrymen led by a General. On the other, just about every single one in their ranks sits on a mount. A Paladin leads that group.


Gyral Lvl 45 Class: General

Dalen Lvl 45 Class: Paladin


"Turn around and get lost, swine! This land belongs to the Stonewall Knights!" Gyral growls. "If you need a second notice, I'll write it down on your men's corpses!"

Dalen sneers. "Ya-har! A pile of corpses could still outfight you sorry lot! This is our territory, and no one gives orders to the Riders of Dawn!"

As both commanders stick to hurling insults at each other, Chrom rubs his chin. "What do you make of that?"

"Mercenaries, from the look." Frederick assesses. "Rival bands squabbling over some petty matter. A common enough sight in these dark times, milord. But if it comes to bloodletting, the nearby villages will pay for it."

Chrom scowls at the increasingly heated shouting match. "Then let's make sure it doesn't."

At that moment, Gyral slams his armored foot on the ground. "Stick 'em full'a holes, boys!"

Dalen has his horse rear back on its rear hooves. "Time to fertilize the fields, soldiers!"

Chrom facepalms. "Well, diplomacy is probably out."

Frederick nods. "Seems the best option is to end the fighting as quickly as possible. Allying ourselves with one side or the other would certainly expedite things."

"A band of riders or a band of knights…" Chrom muses. "Time to make our choice."


Quest alert
Side quest: Rival bands
A turf war between two bands of mercenaries is about to get violent. With diplomacy crossed off the list of options, the next best is to end the fighting as soon as possible. In fact, joining forces with one side could put an end to the violence faster than letting both sides duke it out. The question remains; Which side do you choose?
Objective: Join forces with one band, and defeat the opposing one.
Rewards: 10 000 EXP, 10 000 gold
Bonus objective: ?
Bonus rewards: 20 000 EXP, 20 000 gold


I notice that Kisame left some time ago, meaning we should be at the place he wanted to lead me to. That means the person we're looking for should be somewhere nearby. I squint as I scan the assembled mercenaries. If I remember correctly, he should be among the knights.


Yarne Lvl 27 Class: Taguel


Aha! Found him! Based on the circumstances, things should be the easiest if we side with the knights, as that would technically make Yarne our ally before Panne can recruit him officially. Then again, I'm not the one to decide which side to pick. I do, however, nudge Panne on the arm.

"Something you wish to tell me, Jack?" the taguel asks.

"You told me yesterday that you're the last taguel alive." I point at Yarne. "If that's the case, what do you make of him?"

Panne follows the direction my finger points in. Her eyes widen in shock as she spots Yarne. "Wha- But how?!"

"Something the matter, Panne?" Stahl asks concerned.

Panne points at Yarne. "Stahl, I have often told you that I am the last of my race. And yet, there is one more standing over there among those mercenaries."

Stahl has a similar reaction when he spots the male taguel. "What the- Do you mean to tell me you had a living relative all this time?!"

Panne shakes her head. "If I did, I was not aware of it." Her gaze sharpens. "Whatever the case, I must speak to him."

"Everyone ready?" Robin asks us as a whole. Nods are our reply through our ranks. Our weapons are raised, spell tomes are held tightly, and our mounts are ready to take off at a moment's notice. Robin nods back. "Good. Then let's go."

Both mercenary bands pick up on our approach.

Gyral is the first to greet us. "More sellswords? Ha! Your timing is right impeccable. I'll buy your steel and see you're well compensated for the trouble!"

Chrom turns to Robin. "Well, Robin? Shall we back the knights?"

Robin stands stock-still with her eyes closed. She eventually opens them with her face set in determination.

"No." is her answer.

Naturally, this earns us the ire of the knight band. Yarne throws us a glance, but quickly returns to sizing up the riders. He does do a quick double take, however, after his gaze falls on Panne.

Dalen picks up on Robin's answer in a flash. "Ya-har! There's a sensible lass!" The Paladin stretches out his hand in an offering gesture. "Come fight with us instead! I'll pay you twice what that fool would!"

"Stay out of this, you pony prattler!" Gyral shouts from the other side of the soon-to-be battlefield. "If they have no intention of backing the mighty Stonewall Knights, they're better off being on their way!"

Dalen scoffs. "That simply means they realize the superior might of the Dawn Riders, you overweight buffoon! Let them go as they please! We both know these soldiers will make the wiser choice in the end – and that is siding with us!"

"Humph! You and what army? All I see is a bunch of pansies thinking they're great because they sit on high horses!"

"The reason that is all you see is because of how small of a man you are!"

As the insults fly between both sides anew, Chrom gives Robin an apprehensive look. "See if I understand this correctly, Robin. We side with neither band? Which means we fight them both?"

Nowi pulls at my robes. "Jack, Robin doesn't seriously consider that option, does she?"

I take a closer look at Robin. It's rare to see her this determined. "Judging from what I can see, it seems to be the case."

"I don't believe it!" the manakete whispers exasperated. "She's become just as crazy and reckless as you are!"

I give her a raised eyebrow. "Well, we've been married for about a year now. Some of our personality traits were bound to rub off on the other sooner or later." I place a hand under my chin. "Though I think it has more to do with Robin having a plan. Robin always has a plan."

Chrom rubs his temples. "I should have known you'd go for that. Jack's rubbed off on you, hasn't he? Are you sure about this? There may be more of them hiding nearby, you know."

Robin scowls at the mercenaries getting ready to fight. "Yes, I considered that as well, Chrom. But this is about more than just ending one battle as fast as possible. Say we side with one band and end it quickly. What happens after that? We continue our trek back to Port Ferox, and the victors head towards their next battle. These are mercenaries, Chrom. While there are definitely some who have a sense of honor, Gregor being a good example, sellswords in general let their purses guide them. What's to stop the winning side from sacking villages that supported their rivals? Or take over villages who support neither? If we let one side continue like this, chances are we will have another incident like with Nelson in just a few short months, while we are busy waging war in Valm." Robin shakes her head. "I cannot in good conscience leave things like that. As Shepherds, our main mission is to protect those who cannot protect themselves. If that means we have to fight both mercenary bands at the same time, then so be it."

Robin turns back to address both Gyral and Dalen. "We refuse both of your offers! We will fight, but our battle won't end until both of you have been defeated! It's high time you learned that there is more to fight for than just mere territory!"

Dalen growls. "And here I thought you a sensible one. Do you honestly think you can match our combined might?!"

Gyral points his axe at her. "There's a good reason we're the only mercenary bands around these parts. Any and every other mercenary band who stood in our way either surrendered and joined our ranks, or were wiped out to the last man."

As both commanders rally their forces, more of their numbers join their sides, all directing their less-than-friendly gazes at us.

I throw my arms into the air in frustration. "Oh, come ON! Less than a minute ago, you two were ready to tear each other apart. But the moment a third group of soldiers passes through the area and refuses to side with either of you, you simply put your differences aside to wipe out said third party?! You morons suck!"

Taunt successful!

Huh. Even though I've been on the receiving end of much murderous intent during my travels through the Outrealms, the amount of killing intent directed towards me from both mercenary bands is enough to increase the level of Detect Bloodlust by 1. Guess I struck a nerve. I idly note Severa hug Lucina tight and cry about something that sounds like "crazy teachers and their even crazier tactician wives".

Robin gives Chrom a smirk. "You didn't think I'd just challenge two enemy bands without a strategy, did you? I already have one in mind."

Chrom sighs. "Finally some good news." The sound on Falchion leaving its sheath rings throughout our ranks, which serves as a signal for us to get ready for battle. "So be it. Shepherds! To arms!"

BGM: Mysterious Project (SP version), Project X Zone music

Robin turns to me. "Jack, we'll handle the knights. Can you handle the riders?"

A predatory grin splits my face. "Consider it done, honey!"

I look back at our ranks. Let's see…

"Lon'qu, Cherche, Miriel, Kellam, Gaius, Tharja, Severa, Gregor, Lissa, Henry, Nowi, Donnel, Libra, with me!"

The Shepherds in question nod and gather close to me.

"If we can contain them in the forest, they won't be able to use their full mobility. Use the trees as cover and flank them before they can find enough space to move effectively!" I shout as I draw Harvest Moon and rush into the forest.

A few dozen paces in, we meet our first adversaries in a Bow Knight and a Valkyrie. The Bow Knight nocks an arrow and aims for Libra. The War Monk dodges behind a tree before he runs out from cover to face an incoming Paladin.

Miriel is locked into spell-slinging combat with the Valkyrie. The two spellcasters match each other spell for spell, until the Valkyrie's horse rears back startled. What the Valkyrie doesn't realize is that Kellam snuck up form behind and jumped on the horse. Then he uses the mare as a springboard to get up in the trees. At the same time, Miriel scores a direct hit with an Arcthunder spell that slams the Valkyrie into a nearby tree and out of the fight.

The Bow Knight rides from tree to tree while trying to snipe us from between trunks. Good thing we can use the same cover more effectively, considering how dense the forest is.

"Timber!"

The Bow Knight looks in front of him and screams in terror as a massive tree comes tipping down on him. He manages to dodge the falling tree in time, but by the time he regains his bearings, Donnel is already upon him and slices him in two.

"Did you really have to chop down the whole tree, Donnel?" Nowi asks upset.

The Fighter shrugs. "I dunno, it jus' felt right. Like fellin' that tree would send 'im flyin' over the yonder."

Don't think of the Smash Villager, don't think of the Smash Villager, DON'T THINK OF THE SMASH VILLAGER!

I take a deep breath, and exhale. I am this close to show symptoms of tree-induced PTSD, and Donnel's not helping!

"There they are!"

Dozens more of the riders approach us through the woods. We're once again saved by the fact that mounted units have a hard time moving around in dense forests, simply because horses aren't good at maneuvering between the trees as effectively as, say, open plains. Why else would I pick the ones I chose to join me on this front? Everyone else is either too closely tied to Chrom to separate from him voluntarily, is a rider themselves, or is married to one.

"Gawds, the just keep coming." Severa says as she gets ready to engage.

"And there's more to come." I reply. "Just be careful with your fire, or you could set the whole forest ablaze."

"Is that why you trained me in fighting without my fire magic?"

"Not really, but this should make for great training."

"Only you would be crazy enough to consider a real fight as a form of training! Well, you and a certain pair of training nuts that you took under your wing."

"If it makes you stronger, it counts as training." I stack Reinforcement to the max and step closer to Severa. "Get ready. Make sure to pay attention to where the trees are, or they could get in the way of your swings."

"Okay, already! Sheesh, you don't have to make this another lecture!"

We rush in with Henry and Tharja providing covering fire from the sides. Our focused assault forces the riders' advance to a halt. A Paladin stabs at me with a Silver Sword. A quick sidestep and parry makes the blade slip to my left instead. I jump into the brief opening and swing at his neck. The Paladin leans to the side, making my swing knock off his helmet instead of cleaving his neck. I land briefly on the ground before I spring back and swing downwards.

*Shing!*

Hah! Silver Swords may be good, but that somewhat generic piece of metal can't hold a candle to my prized blade! The Paladin learns this too upon seeing his Silver Sword split in two, while he himself collapses from a deep wound running straight down the left side of his torso.

Severa lunges straight for a Valkyrie. The spell-wielding rider responds with an Arcfire spell, but finds her efforts fruitless as Severa simply stabs the spell and makes the mana-fueled fire coil around Laevateinn instead.

*Shing! Fwoom!*

The Valkyrie screams as the cut sets her entire body on fire from the very flames she conjured.

"That doesn't count as me using magic, right?" Severa asks.

I shrug. "No, but you might want to watch out for any flames you may have spread."

Severa raises an eyebrow before she smells smoke. Her eyes widen upon seeing a nearby bush set on fire from her previous engagement.

A slap on the ground, and I have a wave of dirt cover the burning bush and smother the flames before they can spread.

"Good thing it didn't spread too far." I mutter before turning to see how the rest are faring. Severa blushes at her mistake and looks like she wants to yell something, but she holds her tongue.

More riders still try to pin us down. I think I'm starting to share Severa's sentiment. Seriously, they have a lot of riders in their ranks.

Lissa and Gregor raise their respective weapons. As the riders get close, Gregor lunges forward.

"Attack!"

A Bow Knight swings at Gregor, but to the Hero's surprise, that slash was only a distraction. A Paladin rides in moments later with the intent to impale Gregor on a Silver Lance. Gregor buckles down and parries the stab with his arm guard before retaliating with brutal swings. The Paladin manages to stand his ground, but quickly gets overwhelmed by Gregor's tricky and agile swordplay. His eyes widen as his horse bumps against a tree trunk. That moment of distraction costs him dearly, as Gregor's next slash sends him right off his horse.

"Who wants seconds?" *Thunk!*

Ah, I was wondering where Gaius went. Turns out the Assassin climbed the trees as fast as he could and tried to find a good sniping spot to harass the riders. The arrow sticking out of the now dead Paladin's head means he's found a good spot.

Gregor shoves a thumbs-up into the air. "Many thanks."

That triumph is short-lived as another Paladin finally finds a clear path between the trees and makes a full-frontal assault on Gregor. The Hero gets ready for the clash.

*Shing! Wham!*

Except the clash doesn't come, as Libra and Lissa jump out from behind a pair of trees and nail the surprised rider with their respective weapons. Libra's axe sends him off his horse, and Lissa's hammer sends him right into a tree. Judging by how his back bends along the circumference of the trunk, he's dead.

Lissa gives the War Monk a thumbs-up. "Nice save!"

Libra, in turn, bows gracefully. "Bless you."

A quick scan of our immediate surroundings reveal that no riders are around for now. I jog ahead and wave the others to me.

"Let's push ahead. I'll alert you if any more riders come our way."

Though I wonder were the final two of our party went. Considering Cherche can fly Minerva over the trees, chances are she's gone ahead with Lon'qu close behind. Lon'qu, you'd better cut down any archers and wind-element spellcasters who get any funny ideas the moment they spot Cherche.

*Screech! Shing!*

Well, what do you know… Cherche managed to stay within the tree line. And now Minerva swings around her tail while Cherche sits on top and swings her axe at any rider who gets too close. Even crazier is that Lon'qu stays surprisingly in sync with the wyvern and not only jumps over the spiked tail whenever Minerva swings it, but he even uses the tail as an occasional springboard for some insane acrobatics before he lunges directly for incoming riders.

Eat your heart out, Chrom. My lieutenant is more badass than yours. Not that Frederick is lame. Just…less badass.

A sudden Elwind spell detonates right behind Minerva, making the wyvern flip end over end through the air and Cherche to lose her grip on her trusty mount. A trio of Valkyries ride on from the flank, all of them holding wind tomes. Drat! Lon'qu can only handle one of them!

*Flash!* "You big bully!"

Nowi barrels right through the trees and blindsides one of the Valkyries with a ram on her flank. With the momentary distraction catching the other two Valkyries' attention, I sprint ahead and catch up with Lon'qu.


Union Strike: Swords Dance

"Lon'qu!"

"Prepare yourself."

We both clear the remaining distance between the remaining Valkyries in a burst of speed. I slip right in between the Valkyries while I land a quick slash on the right one's abdomen. A split-second later, Lon'qu attacks from the front with both his swords drawn by jumping and spinning with both swords like a bladed top.

From that position, we zip around our enemies in sync, always staying on opposite sides as we deliver slash after slash. If I go clockwise, Lon'qu does the same. If I attack high, Lon'qu goes low. If I slip between the enemy units, I align Harvest Moon to let Lon'qu jump on the blade to the other side.

A dozen coordinated slashes later, Lon'qu and I stand back-to-back in crouched stances.

"Try to keep up."

"Challenge accepted."

We take it up a notch by going even faster. At this point, we don't care about syncing up – we just go as fast as we can, with our two enemies locked in-between. Any wounds they sustained during our first assault pales in comparison to the absolute shredding we deliver with the next one, be it on themselves or on their horses.

We both skid to a stop on opposite sides of the enemies once more. I flip Harvest Moon in a reverse grip. "You're right where we want you!"

Lon'qu crosses his arms in front of his chest. "I'll make this quick."

*SHING!*

Our positions invert in the blink of an eye. One second later, the Valkyries slowly fall apart in neatly sliced pieces. The horses follow suit after the Valkyries are done.

Lon'qu flicks some blood of his blades while he smirks at me. "Huh. Not half bad."

I grin in return. "Hah! We were AWESOME!"


"Wow! How did you two do that?" Henry asks excited.

I grin at the Dark Mage. "Lots of practice, sparring, and a relationship built on friendship and trust."

Henry rubs his chin before he snaps his fingers while the proverbial candle lights up over his head. He turns to Lissa. "Hey, Lissa! Let's do that too! That looks fun!"

"Absolutely not!" the War Cleric replies sternly. "Don't even think about attempting that until we manage to develop some good teamwork! The only reason why Jack can do that kind of stuff is because he's the only one crazy enough to even try."

"But I'm crazy too!"

"And I'm your voice of reason, and I say "No"!"

Henry deflates. "Aw…"

Cherche clears her throat. "*Ahem* If you two are done with your little discussion, I would prefer if you got ready for the next wave of riders. Minerva tells me it's only a matter of moments before they reach us."

The tome in Tharja's hand starts floating above her palm. "Hee hee hee. Wonderful. I'm still not satisfied with today's killing spree yet."

Severa takes a few steps in my direction. "Jack-sensei, I never thought I'd say this, but the more time I spend in this army, the more I'm convinced that you're not the craziest person around."

I pat her on the head (much to her annoyance). "Oh, that's because everyone is quirky in their own way. See, Tharja and Henry are more along the killing variant of crazy, while I emphasize the daredevil kind."

"I'd say it's more like the sadistic version."

"Hey, I'm only a sadist if the other person deserves it."

"Like your stunningly beautiful student?! For shame, Sensei!"

I give Severa a flat look. "Yeah, way to inflate your ego, Severa."

"There they are! Attack!"

We turn our heads and spot the next wave of riders approach us through the woods. Welp, back to kicking the ever-loving snot out of some cavalry.

BGM ends


Timeskip

Phew. Taking the rest of the riders out took a bit more time than I thought. Our party took a few hard hits, Cherche and Minerva in particular due to them constantly fighting on the front. It's a good thing wyverns and their riders are so resilient against physical attacks, or Cherche might be a goner at this point. That, and Lissa and Libra showed some impressive teamwork in healing any wounds we sustained.

There's one thing that bothers me, though. For all the riders we fought in the forest, we never caught a single glimpse of Dalen. Where in the world did the leader of those riders go?

Seeing as the woods seem cleared, I direct the others towards the nearby town to reunite with Robin and the rest of our crew. We just arrive at the gates when we discover that the fighting is still in full swing.

*Krang! Bam!*

I look to my left and see a General slumped against the town's wall. The massive dent in the stonework indicates that he got hit by an insanely powerful impact. Frederick?

"Hey, there you are, Master Jack. Am I glad to see you."

I blink at the greeting. I turn my head in the direction it came from and spot Yarne, grinning happily and rolling his right arm.

I do a double take at the General. Then back at Yarne. I point at the armored knight. "Was that you?"

"Sure was." Yarne replies cheerfully. "It's been a while since I got to cut loose."

Whoa, whoa, wait! I thought Yarne was the resident coward! What's with the lack of fright?! More importantly:

"I was under the impression that you were on their side." I comment with a raised eyebrow.

Yarne shrugs. "Meh, it was just temporary. After I met a few interesting people, I changed my mind and joined up with you instead." The taguel waves towards my companions. "Hey, Severa! I met Lucina a while ago. Sounds like you're gathering the team again. This is great!"

"Yeah, sure…" Severa mutters indifferently with her arms crossed. "At least someone's enthusiastic about it."

"Huh? What's the deal? I thought you'd be happy to see your old friends again."

"For the record, we're not friends!" Severa snarls. "We're just…" she gradually averts her eyes as a blush creeps up her cheeks. "…you know… allies by necessity and all that."

Yarne walks up and slaps Severa on the back. "Yeah, that's the Severa I know. Glad to have you back!"

"I joined up before you, you buffoon! Don't make it sound like you got in first!"

Yarne's good mood stays undeterred. "Heh. Just like old times."

Severa looks like she's is about to erupt in flam- Oh, wait. That's just her manipulating fire unconsciously. She reigns it in with a "Humph!" and walks away while she throws some hair over her shoulder.

I give Yarne a raised eyebrow. "Were you always like that?"

The male taguel shrugs. "More or less. In fact, I think this is the liveliest I've seen her in weeks, even before we began our trip here."

I'm still surprised over how bold Yarne is. This guy is supposed to be scared of just about anything, for the simple reason that he sees almost anything as an incident that could wipe out his race (i.e. him). That, and the fact that he seemingly sent a General flying with his bare hands.

Hmm… That's an interesting character profile. Never expected his training to make him take after that man, of all characters.

"Jack, there you are." I hear Stahl call out. The Great Knight rides in from my left. "Did you finish off the riders?"

I nod. "Well, most of them, I think, but we couldn't find their leader in the woods." I rub my chin. "Wherever he went, it must've been out of the forest."

Stahl nods. "Well, we can worry about him later. The others should be done with the knights soon. Let's meet up with them."

"Sounds good. Lead the way, Stahl."

By the time we arrive, Robin and co defeat the last of the knights. All that remains is their leader, Gyral.

The General backs away slightly upon seeing the complete defeat of his band. Nevertheless, he buckles down and slams his shield into the ground. He wants to go down fighting? Fine by me. The General remains like that, until he glances our way and spots Yarne.

"You…" Gyral growls and brandishes his Tomahawk against Yarne. "You traitor! We allowed you to travel with us! We gave you food and shelter! And how do you repay us? By abandoning us for some other group of soldiers traveling by?! I'll show you how we deal with traitors!"

Yarne shrugs uncaring. "Meh, I could do without all that stuff. I've slept better outside than on those things you call bedrolls. And those portions were horribly measly."

"Your stomach's a bottomless pit! At the rate you kept eating, we'd run out of food in a matter of weeks!"

Yarne smiles. "Well, at least it was good. Thanks for that."

A vein on Gyral's forehead throbs with alarming pressure. "Not only do you repay our hospitality with betrayal, you even have the nerve to mock us for it… That's it, I'm taking you down first! And the rest of your new friends are next!"

"Now, don't be so hasty!" someone calls out from behind a few houses. Dalen rides onto the town plaza on his horse, visibly displeased.

The Paladin points his Spear in our direction. "I found it strange that none of my soldiers reported in, even when it was clear the battle had started. And by the time I find them, I realize that they've all been wounded or even killed! I will not stand for this!"

"So, you've got a beef with this lot too, huh?" Gyral asks his rival.

"Yes." Dalen hisses. "And I will take great pleasure in impaling them where they stand. They will rue the day they crossed into my territory."

"You mean our territory."

Yarne punches his fists together as he approaches the two mercenary leaders with a grin. "So, you two wanna fight? I'm all for it. Bring it on."

"I will skin you alive and see if I can have you for a fur coat." Gyral growls.

"Hold." Dalen interjects. "I too wish to join the hunt. I shall savor the moment I run my spear through his pathetic hide."

"They're both fighting him at the same time?!" Severa asks shocked. "Sensei, Yarne may be strong, but those two are too much for him on his own!"

"Then it's a good thing he's not fighting alone." I reply as I stab Harvest Moon into the ground.

"Huh?"

A deft swipe pulls my robe off my body. The chainmail and black clothes worn underneath are shown to the world. "Hold my robe, Nowi."

The manakete catches the purple clothing I throw at her with a shocked expression. She blinks a few times. "Did I miss something? And since when am I Jack's maid?"

"Hey!" I call out as I walk up beside Yarne and crack my knuckles. "You two think I'm just going to let you gang up on our newest recruit? Let's make it more interesting, shall we? Us two against whatever you can muster at this point."

Yarne looks at me in surprise. "You're fighting too, Master?"

I smile at him. "Hey, it's only fair. Besides, judging by the way you address me, I have every reason to see what you're capable of."

The taguel grins back. "Heh. Never thought I'd live to see the day when we team up. I'll meet your expectations, you'll see."

I nod. "Something tells me you already have."

"I'm not one to join forces with a foe…" Gyral growls. He slams his armored foot on the ground. "…but if that's what it takes to get rid of you, I'll even lend my steel to those blasted riders! No matter what you try, you'll never breach the impenetrable strength of the Stonewall Knights!"

"Humph! It is I who lends my strength for this cause." Dalen adds. "I care not if I must swallow my pride. If that's what it takes to claim these lands, then so be it. Struggle all you want, but you'll never stop the unending march of the Dawn Riders!"

I roll my eyes as Yarne and I crouch into combat stances. "Oh, sure. You hate each other's guts, but you'll gladly team up if you think you can't win against a third party. You two are just ridiculous."

BGM: Ultimate battle (official guitar version), Dragon Ball Super OST

Yarne and I dash straight towards our opponents with our fists reared back.

"Rrrah!" *Krang!*

Fists meet shields as we make contact with out opponents. Yarne against Gyral, and me against Dalen. I lean sideways to avoid his Spear. Then I deflect it to the right with a deft swipe with the hand, pivot on my left, and send a snap kick against Dalen's torso. Dalen intercepts with his shield again and then maneuvers his horse into gallop. He makes a quick circle around the plaza before he commands his horse to rush straight at me. I smirk and crouch in a stance. Wait for it. Wait for it…

Right as Dalen thrusts his Spear at me, I jump straight up with assistance of Gale Step, then I angle a Gale Step upwards to send myself back down. I flip in midair and send an axe kick right at the Paladin's head.

*Krang!*

The sound of my foot against the sturdy shield rings throughout the plaza. Before I can follow up, Dalen has already ridden out of my melee range.

He's trained that horse well. If I want to line up a good shot, I'll need to get him off the mount first. Now to figure out how to do that.

While Dalen circles me carefully, I sneak a glance at how Yarne's faring against Gyral.

"Da da da da da da-"

Dang, those fists come in fast. Yarne's arms are practically blurs as he rains down punches on Gyral's shield, to the point that the General gets pushed back by the intense onslaught. There's a momentary lull in Yarne's offensive, and Gyral capitalizes on it with a swing of his shield arm to get some space. Right afterwards, he swings his Tomahawk right at Yarne's mid-section. The taguel jumps over the swing and retaliates with a snap kick. Gyral blocks and attempts a shot at the airborne taguel, only for Yarne to kick off the shield with his second foot and lunge right back in with a punch backed with a battle cry. Gyral intercepts with his shield, then replies with a rising swing. From there, their showdown turns into a back and forth of offense and defense, with Gyral blocking with his shield while Yarne dodges with nimble moves.

"Never let your eyes off your enemy!" Dalen shouts as the hooves of his horse thunders into my ears.

I send the Paladin an annoyed glare and run right at him. "I've fought stronger foes."

As we get close, I send a dive kick right at his face. Even as his shield blocks the blow, the force almost knocks Dalen off his saddle.

Wait, that's it!

Dalen rides another turn before he makes another attack run against me. In response, I Gale Step to the side and then lunge for a left hook – or so I want Dalen to think. As predicted, the Paladin raises his shield to block the blow.

So instead of following through with a punch, I grab hold of the shield with one hand and his arm with the other. Then I place both feet on the side of his horse, and PULL!

"Ooorah!"

The unexpected move catches Dalen off-guard, allowing me to pull him off his mount and throw him at Gyral.

Said General gets blindsided when his rival crashes right into his armor and bounces off to the side. That momentary distraction gives Yarne the opening for a corkscrew punch right in his face.

"Switch!" I shout to Yarne as I sprint towards Gyral.

Yarne grins and moves to engage Dalen, who just got up and looks notably pissed over being pulled off his horse and thrown like a ragdoll.

Meanwhile, I get up close and personal with Gyral. I quickly get in range and start throwing jabs at him. The General blocks the hits easily enough, but I manage to deter any counterattacks by switching my rhythm every now and then.

That shield of his is a big pain. With a hunk of metal that big between us, lining up a good shot at him will be difficult. I need to catch him when his grip on the shield is weak.

I take a step back and let Gyral approach me. Taking my retreat as an opening, the General comes in with his Tomahawk in full swing. Duck, sidestep, weave, jump. Heh. For all the protection his armor grants him, all that metal must weigh a lot too. With moves that slow, reading his next attack is easy, and it only gets easier as he keeps the same pace. Now to find the perfect opening…

There!

I slip to the right as Gyral brings down his Tomahawk for another brutal overhead swing. As the axe hits the ground, I pivot on my right leg. Gyral immediately brings in his shield to intercept the incoming kick.

Too bad for him I'm not aiming straight. Instead, I extend my leg mid-pivot and launch a hook kick instead.

"Hee-yah!" *Krang!*

My leg strikes the side of the shield with enough momentum to send it flying out of Gyral's grip. While the General is busy gawking at the maneuver, I switch my body weight to my left leg and bring in my other for a follow-up kick right to his temple.

At the same time, Yarne slips into Dalen's guard and sends an elbow into the Paladin's face. Then he grabs the stunned rider's arm and throws him back at Gyral.

"Let's finish this!" I shout as I summon two clones and rush the two commanders. Yarne crouches and cups his hands by the side of his body.

"Ka… Me…"

Mana swirls to life in the space between his palms. The shining sphere that forms gives off a high-pitched hum of power.

My clones knock Gyral and Dalen around like pinballs while I crouch and rear back my arm for a Hurricane Fist. Wind mana builds up around my body until a miniature tornado forms around me.

"Ha… Me…"

My clones throw both mercenary leaders at me. Time to take a leaf out of Ryu's book.

"Shoryuken!"

My fist makes contact with Gyral's torso with enough force to send both him and Dalen into the air. I turn to Yarne.

"Now!"

"HAAAAA!"

Yarne launches a massive wave of mana that engulfs both mercenary leaders in a matter of seconds. By the time the dust settles, no trace is left of either of them.

Gyral has been obliterated! Dalen has been obliterated!

Yarne has leveled up!

BGM ends

Yarne places his hands on his knees and pants for air. "Phew! That move still takes a lot out of me. I need more training."

The other Shepherds gape at Yarne in shock.

"He wants even more training after that?!" Severa shouts exasperated. "If that doesn't make him as crazy as Jack-sensei, I don't know what does!"


"The fighting is over, milord." Frederick reports. "That should spare the villages from any further damage."

Chrom sighs in relief. "Good. Though I still don't understand why they had to fight in the first place."

"Competition, milord. A sad consequence of this war. Farm the land, and your fields are pillaged. Open a shop, and your goods are stolen." Frederick frowns. "It's little wonder men take up steel and become mercenaries…or worse. There's only so much gold to go around, and so they fight for dominance."

"Seems they'll continue to do so until it's safe to be a farmer or merchant again." Chrom muses. A scowl grows on his face. "All the more reason for us to end things as quickly as possible."

Frederick nods sagely. "Well put, milord. Shall we be on our way?"

As we pack everything back into our convoy, some of the townspeople approach us with a small cart in tow.

One of them steps up to Chrom smiling. "We're relieved to be rid of the lot of 'em! No better than brigands, they were. You have our thanks, sir. Please accept this as a token of our gratitude."

Lissa takes a look into the contents carried in the cart. There's cloth, sturdy wood, some tools, food that will last for a long time, all sorts of supplies that will be useful for traveling. Oh, and there's a bag containing gold as well. Severa, I know you're eyeing that bag with less-than-pure intent.

"Chrom, this is amazing! This stuff should help us patch things up in camp if anything ever gets broken!" Lissa exclaims happily.

Chrom nods to the villager. "You're very kind. Thank you."

The villager shakes his head. "No, it's we who should thank you for your kindness. Hopefully, we can finally return to a peaceful life here, now that those two bands won't come around and wreck things in their squabbling again."


Quest alert
Side quest: Rival bands
With the fighting over, peace should return to the area. However, judging by Frederick's remark about competition for gold, this could be far from the only region marred by the conflicts of rivaling mercenary bands. Only by ending the incoming war can the grip of violence on the lands and townspeople weaken and eventually vanish. If you want peace, be ready for war.
Objective: Join forces with one band, and defeat the opposing one.
Objective not met! See Bonus objective for more information.
Bonus objective: Refuse to side with either band, and defeat both on your own.
Bonus objective cleared! Note: This counts as clearing this quest.
Bonus rewards:
You gain 20 000 EXP! You gain 20 000 gold!


BGM: Reunited, Undertale music

Panne approaches Yarne as we get ready to continue our travel.

"You."

The male taguel turns surprised. "Huh? Oh, it's you. Did you need something?"

"What is your name?" Panne asks.

"Yarne. Don't you remember? You're the one who gave it to me."

A smirk grows on Panne's lips. "…So you truly are my child?"

Yarne scratches the side of his face. "Um, I'm a taguel, right? I kind of have to be."

Panne's smirk turns into an affectionate smile. "I suppose blood does not lie. I am pleased to see you, my son. You represent a new hope for our race."

Yarne gives his mother a flat look. "No pressure there…"

"You are living proof that man and taguel can coexist." Panne continues undeterred.

Yarne shrugs. "Hey, I didn't do anything special. I was just born. You're the one who proved all that bridging-the-gap stuff. You're the one who married a human." A grin blooms on his face. "Er, thanks for doing that, by the way. Even if I can't take credit for it, I'm proud of my heritage. Besides, I couldn't imagine having a better father than the man you married."

I notice Stahl freeze in the middle of loading a crate into a cart to look at the conversing taguel. His face gets covered by a beaming smile. Wow… I can't ever recall the guy smiling that brightly. Not sure if he ever planned to raise a family, but lo and behold, his and Panne's son stand there in broad daylight, showing the wonderful promise that the future holds.

"It gladdens me to see my son value pride…" Panne replies in approval. She takes his hand in hers and closes it into a fist. "May you keep it always."

As we continue on our way, Panne approaches me.

"Jack."

"Hm? You need anything, Panne?"

"My son told me you were the one who instructed him in how to fend for himself in the future. Thanks to you, my son has grown strong."

I shrug. "To be fair, that was my future self who did it, not me."

Panne shakes her head. "Nevertheless, you are the reason my son has grown to be what he is today. This is more than just a mere family matter. Because I can see how strong my son has grown, I can finally rest easy knowing that my race has a future – be it in a warren far from any human settlement, or amongst you humans like one of your own." Panne smiles brighter than I ever recall her doing before. "It's almost…as if the pain of losing my warren all those years ago has finally dulled. The memories are still there, but the pain is gone. I believe I can finally move on. Thanks to you and Stahl, I have learned to trust humans again."

I raise an eyebrow. "That's great and all, but I still fail to see how much credit I should have. My future self may have trained Yarne, but everything he did in that battle, and the way he's grown to this point, is all him. I'm his teacher, Panne, not his parent. That honor belongs to you and Stahl."

"An honor we'll uphold proudly." Stahl interjects as he joins us. "What Panne's basically trying to say is thank you for pointing Yarne in the right direction. We're both aware that the main reason he got where he is now is because of his own effort, but if you never helped him get started in the future, who knows where he'd be?"

He'd probably run for the hills the moment he realized we're headed off to a campaign against one of the biggest, if not the biggest, empire of the world.

Stahl stretches out his hand. "So I'd like to thank you on behalf of my whole family – Yarne included."

Shrugging, I accept the handshake with a smile. "You're welcome, Stahl. Both you and Panne."

Your relationship with Panne has advanced! Your relationship with Panne is now "Trusted!"

Your relationship with Stahl has advanced! Your relationship with Stahl is now "Trusted!"

To be continued (BGM ends)


Yarne's character sheet

Yarne Lvl 28 Class: Taguel
Panne's son from the future. Being the last of his race in his timeline has instilled him with a great sense of responsibility to preserve the legacy of his mother by ensuring the survival of the taguel. While originally a colossal coward due to this pressure, his training under Jack replaced it with an unyielding fighting spirit, the battle lust and a skillset similar to the Saiyan warrior, Son Goku. The laziest after a filling meal.
Born on March 14
th.

Titles: Legacy of the taguel (+ 5% STR, VIT and DEX)

HP: 5 400 / 5 400
MP: 1 875 / 1 875

STR: 68.8 (48 * 1.05 * 1.06 * 1.3)
VIT: 71 (52 * 1.06 * 1.3)
DEX: 67.4 (47 * 1.05 * 1.06 * 1.3)
INT: 19
WIS: 20
CHAR: 10
LUCK: 15

ITEMS:
Beaststone (equipped)
Concoction

Skills:

Martial arts mastery, Lvl 53 [81.0 %], Passive
There are those who train with a weapon until they can wield it like an extension of their bodies. Then there are those who train their bodies until they can wield it like a weapon. This skill falls into the latter category. While martial artists usually fight at a disadvantage in terms of range, they make up for it with techniques most weapon wielders could only dream of. Underestimating a foe due to their lack of weapons can be a fatal mistake. Passively increases STR, VIT and DEX by 30 %. Increases attack speed and attack power by 215 % when attacking unarmed.

Turtle style, Lvl 53 [81.0 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP
The fighting style developed by the martial arts master and perverted Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi. This school of martial arts emphasizes rigorous training that strengthens the practitioner's body and reflexes to superhuman levels. While technique and skill are encouraged, the Turtle style often compliments physical conditioning with a sharp, observant mind to make use of any opening the opponent may present. Passively increases STR, VIT and movement speed by 50 % when attacking unarmed. Reduces physical damage taken by 10 %.

Kamehameha, Lvl 25 [16 %], Active, Cost: 270 MP
The ultimate technique of the Turtle school of martial arts, as well as, quite possibly, the most famous fictional martial arts technique in the world. The user cups their hands on the side of their body. The space between the palms becomes a focal point where mana is concentrated. When the correct amount is gathered, the user can launch the mana like a laser for devastating effect. While mana is usually channeled for magic, this skill channels mana through the body in a manner that its power is based on the user's physical strength instead of their mental.
Base damage: 4 000 % of the total of the user's STR and VIT. Element: None

Natural beast, Lvl MAX, Active, Cost: 50 MP per minute
Rigorous training in all manner of environments has allowed you to establish a deep connection with your beastly side. So long as you carry an object linked to this side, you can use it as a medium to draw on the natural strength of your beastly heritage while still retaining the human part of your existence. In other words, you can combine the best, or worst, of two worlds.
Allows the user to draw on their natural power attained through shapeshifting without transforming. Boosts stats according to the transformation. The user must hold a stone corresponding to their race in order to use this skill.


Preview of the next chapter:

*Camera shows a sweltering desert*

Severa: Ugh… I'm practically bathing in sweat!

Yarne: How do you think I feel? I have fur!

Miriel: Actually, fur can act as protection against heat as well as cold.

Severa: Really? Gimme that fur!

Yarne: Hey, let go!

*A village emerges from the heat haze*

Laurent: Greetings. I assume you're seeking to uncover the secrets of the mirage village as well?

Chrom: Mirage village? What mirage village?

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

Let your heart be your guiding key! Wild chase across the mirage desert!

Kellam: Something tells me there's more to this desert than meets the- *Sigh* And no one's paying me any attention…


Omake: Why Jack hasn't taught Robin the Shadow clone (yet)

In an alternate timeline, Jack taught Robin how to form a Shadow clone. Ecstatic at how much this would cut down on her workload, Robin was more than happy to thank her husband in any way she could think of.

It's yet another peaceful day in castle Ylisstol, a few weeks after the couple returned from their honeymoon. Jack and Robin walk down a castle corridor towards the dining hall for lunch. Both summoned a dozen clones each a few hours ago to go about their daily duties.

"I wonder what the chefs cooked up today." Jack muses as they head for their destination.

Robin shrugs. "Whatever it may be, I'm sure we'll enjoy it. Nothing beats a hearty meal after a hard day of wor-"

Both spouses gasp and reach out to the closest object for support as they grow weak in the knees. For Jack, that's a convenient pillar, while Robin chooses to cling to her husband. The mental feedback that they both received showed the memory of their clones finish up their assigned tasks.

It also showed that after each clone had finished their tasks, said clone sought out a clone of their creator's spouse, snuck off to some remote location, and engaged in, ah, very passionate activities.

To make things even crazier, every clone hit the peak of ecstasy at exactly the same time, and promptly dispelled afterwards. Thus, both Jack and Robin experienced the culminated sensation of passionately making love, and climaxing, twelve times over.

Needless to say, both spouses are now in dire need of a change of smallclothes.

"Jack?" Robin asks after catching her breath and successfully rebooting her brain.

"Yes?" Jack replies, while trying to regain enough mental capacity to wipe the drool from his face.

"We need to lay down some ground rules regarding making clones." Robin declares. "Or else they could hamper our daily duties."

Never mind the fact that summoning said clones cut down their workload several times over.

"First…" Robin begins with a flushed face. "…only one of us can use clones at a time when we're close to each other. Second, the only time we can use clones at the same time is when we're far away from each other. And we must make sure the clones dispel immediately after they finish their tasks."

Jack nods while trying to regain stability in his legs. "Agreed. Our clones are too uninhibited to not run off with each other and…well…do that." The Reaper rubs his temples. "That, and they're too horny."

"Which brings me to the third rule." Robin replies as she finally gets her blush under control. "If we make clones, we can't think about anything related to each other, otherwise they'll be tempted to seek each other out. I admit that they desire each other too much, but we only have ourselves to blame for that issue."

Jack nods. "Sounds reasonable enough."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"On a side note…" Jack muses as they finally stand on their own again. "…I had no idea you were into that, of all things."

Some nearby palace staff happens to pass them by as Jack makes that observation, and, due to the maids' gossipy habits, they immediately huddle together and begin their frantic speculations.

Robin's blush returns with a vengeance. "Did you have to bring that up NOW?!"


Jack's encyclopedic corner:

Tomahawk, Axe, Base damage: 80, Very rare
A throwing axe of foreign make, often bestowed upon elite warriors in native tribes from the steppes. Because these tribes are so secretive, the method for forging this weapon is rarely seen among blacksmiths, unless they have established a close relationship with men of said tribes. This makes the Tomahawk a seldom seen sight among even the highest decorated soldiers in most armies. Despite their rarity, axe wielders everywhere would pay a handsome amount of gold to get their hands on even one of these axes, as their unique design makes them deadly at any range, despite being hefty for a weapon designed for throwing.

Spear, Polearm, Base damage: 80, Very rare
A polearm that integrates some of the finest points in weapon engineering. Everything from selecting the material to the shape of the shaft has been meticulously handled by a master blacksmith to ensure maximum performance in combat. Because the standards for making this weapon is so high, the number of blacksmiths who can make them is very small and usually reserved for wealthy nations with a strong military. What's more, the weapon itself is usually only granted to the highest-ranked soldiers with surprisingly low frequency, due to the amount of work and time needed to even make a single Spear.

Taguel, Class
These creatures have the ability to shapeshift into giant rabbits, lending them immense strength and agility if they find themselves locked in combat. While normally peaceful, taguel are not afraid to strike back against threats against themselves or their loved ones. And, while they are normally vegetarians, they have no qualms tearing into their enemies until they're reduced to a mangled mess.
Passively increases STR, VIT, DEX and movement speed by 6 %. Damage dealt with any weapon or magic of any element is reduced by 5 %. This unit counts as mounted.

Beaststone, Stone, Base damage: 68, Rare
A special stone said to be filled with the power of a spirit of nature. Taguels use these stones as power sources to trigger their ability to shapeshift into animals. This ability garnered unjust fear from humans, who would eventually brand the race of shapeshifters as monsters. Despite the alleged spiritual ties to this stone, rumor has it a Sorcerer long ago discovered a method to craft these peculiar objects like any other enchanted object common to the arcane arts. However, the truth about this rumor, as well as this supposed method, remains a mystery. Though it would explain why this stone has been occasionally sighted in certain shops across the lands.
Allows a taguel to shapeshift in battle while equipped. Passively increases STR, DEX and movement speed by 5 %. This increase only applies to taguels.


IT'S OVER 9000!

The word count for this chapter, that is. XD

The whole point of Yarne's character build is based on irony. I know full well how cowardly he is, which made it all the more entertaining in planning his character in this fic. The first point is, of course, his eagerness to battle, and barehanded at that, which contrasts his usual unwillingness to fight at all in the game (going by his canon personality).
The second comes from me pairing Panne with Stahl. Stahl is so average in every single aspect that Miriel could prove it through extensive research specifically regarding him. In contrast, Vegeta claims that Goku has an uncanny amount of talent by Saiyan standards, which resulted in the kind-hearted saiyan to constantly break new ground in striving to become stronger, be it unlocking new super Saiyan forms or learning Ultra Instinct. This, in turn, applies to Yarne as well.
This brings me to the third point of irony. Yarne's species resembles rabbits. In contrast, his fighting style was developed by a man, whose design is based on turtles. Anyone recognize the old fable of the rabbit and the tortoise?
All in all, Yarne will probably be the 2
nd-gen Shepherd whose personality deviates the most from canon, simply because of how I decided on building him. All the other Shepherds of Lucina's generation should be more in-character, depending on how you view my way of basing them on other characters.
And before you guys bombard me with the million-dollar question in your reviews; Yes, Yarne will learn Ultra instinct in the future. He simply has A LOT of training ahead of him before he reaches that level. And no, he won't unlock anything resembling super Saiyan. That stuff is too ridiculous for my tastes. I mean, really, it got pretty old by the time Goku reached the third level.

That will be all for now. Please rate and review.

VipeR out.