Episode 22: Boar vs Boar
I would like to dedicate this chapter to voice actor Billy Kametz, who recently passed away from colon cancer. I also bring this up because he voiced a certain character who shows up in this episode. Shine on, Billy. Shine on, you crazy diamond. May you rest in peace.
1602jaw: The Ultimate Despair made a good antagonist last time. I'm a sucker for "evil version of a character" trope. Psycho was a nuisance to our heroes at best. And yes, I had a fun time writing today's episode.
eo5494: Holy crap indeed. It was a nice wrap up to Toko's character arc, and opens the door for the climax of the Gjira Saga. Even with this new power, it may not be an easy win."
NondescriptNorbert: Rick truly is a victim to his impulses. But the next time they see him, you'll be surprised to see how Gjira's imprisonment has affected him. I'm really glad ive been able to get really creative with where the story's been going lately, and you like it. What's life without taking some risks, huh?
That guy: Thank you. This was mostly for some set up. And true, Bernadetta wont be there for them to freak her out. But she's dealing with plenty at the moment anyway.
SteelRobot: Glad your mind has been blown. That chapter really came from the heart. And yes, Rick has been there since not too long after his elimination.
ThelastCyberKnight: Indeed. Though there's still crazy action in store this time, though at least on a smaller scale. The final battle is only a couple of episodes away.
Happiness studios: At least I was able to answer your questions through PM, as that felt easier than bloating the page with lots of answers. Hopefully you enjoy this one.
With all of that out of the way, let's get it!
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"Last time on Total Drama Infinite 2, yours truly was held hostage by this creepy little girl who's name I already forgot. Luckily, my contestants were bold enough to face a gauntlet of Evil clones, evil doctors, and each other. Edward took up the mantle to lead everyone in the rescue, and even opened up Toko's heart to what friendship. Though the battle was tough, Edward came out on top, using some really weird new power. I don't know it really all I know is it has something to do with that orange blob. In the end Toko sacrificed herself to help everyone escape the island, which blew up, and took her with it. Or did it? How will our cast fare after such a dangerous experience? And can things only go up from here? Only one way to find out, on today's exciting episode of Total Drama Infinite 2!"
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It has been two days since the gang's adventure in Towa City. And sad to say, things had looked rather grim. Besides literally fighting themselves, they presumably saw one of their friends die in front of their very eyes. Weirdly enough, it wasn't Chris' fault for once.
The final nine all sat in silence in economy class. Nobody was really in any mood to do anything but mope and mourn Toko. Sure, the rescue mission was a success, but at what cost? As everyone sat there, Tickles, who sat in Ed's lap, whined at the sight of the negative attitude.
"Sorry boy, but I'm not in the mood." Edward tells him.
Besides mourning their friend, the alchemist was also deep in thought about another thing. Whatever strange ability he and SCP 999 performed to defeat Monaca was something that intrigued him. How did he do it? How can it be harnessed? And would it be of any use in his mission?
His train of thought was broken when Kiryu sat down next to him.
"Something wrong?"
"Look, Ed," the yakuza said. "It's never easy being a hero. Some choose to be one, and others have that thrust upon them. Sometimes, sacrifices are made, and other times, you have to make difficult choices. Don't blame yourself for what happened. It was her choice. As much as it hurts, Toko sacrificed herself so hope can live on. You need to keep being that hope. We can't do this without you, you know."
"I get what you mean." Edward begins. "But it doesn't make me feel any better. Lately, I've been wondering….did I make the right choice? I don't want something like that to happen again."
"The answer will come when the time is right. I don't know what it's like to be in your position, but I know what you must do. Cut your path to the future. Walk that path. Eventually, you'll reach your destination. We all must do so."
"Whoa…...that's some pretty deep words of wisdom." Terry said. "Honestly, I think you summed up our thoughts exactly. We can't let her sacrifice be in vain."
Susie gets up and stomps her foot. "He's right. If we just sit here and keep feeling sorry for ourselves instead of moving forward, then her death was in vain. I wouldn't be able to face her in the afterlife if I did that."
Ed looks at everyone, all of them looking right back at him. As long as he still has hope, then there's still a chance. He looks down at 999, who gurgles with glee.
"I can't help but feel you had something to do with this little morale boost." He says. "You are the most happy creature to ever exist. Maybe you really are the key to all of this."
"At least to handle the Scarlet King." Tari brings up. As explained, 999 is the seventh son of the Scarlet King, and was the only thing that could stop it. "Even if we stop that problem, there's still Gjira to worry about."
"Didn't you see that fucking epic fusion those two did in Towa City?!" Harley brings up. "Maybe you could win against him with that."
"Maybe…." Edward hypothesized. "If only I had the opportunity to try again. I'm just as curious about what we did. If I could learn to pull that off on the fly, maybe we-"
"Goooood afternoon, competitors!" Chris greeted as he stepped into economy. "I got some good news, and some bad news."
"Let me guess, the good news is you got fired? That'd be good news." Miu quips.
The group has their first laugh in days as the host rolls his eyes.
"The good news is, I just got off the phone with the producers. Turns out Toko and Ms. Naegi survived the explosion in one piece."
"What?!" They all exclaimed. "How?!"
"Apparently, they weren't at the epicenter of the explosion. All it did was blow them away. Other than some scrapes and bruises, they're both doing okay."
"So they're alive, huh?" Kiryu said. "Figured they wouldn't go down so easily."
"That's a relief." Edward said with, well, relief.
"Not even death can stop us!" Theo cheers.
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"At least that's one less thing to worry about." Edward affirmed."
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The crew could honestly relax a bit, as it was pleasing news that Toko survived.
"Waluigi knew that they weren't done for!" Waluigi proudly said.
"No you fucking didn't, you liar!" Miu tells him.
"Guys, this is no time to be arguing." Joe says. "We should be happy."
"Guess they're built tough." Terry remarks.
"So what's the bad news?" Tari sighed.
Chris smiles. "It's time for your next challenge."
They all collectively groaned at this.
"But, since you saved my bacon last time, and you all have been through quite a bit lately, I decided I'd give you an easier one."
"So what is it?" Harley asked. "And I swear to god if you're lying, I'm gonna shove my hammer so far up your-"
"I can assure you I'm not lying." The host explains. "This is one we had planned for earlier in the season, but for certain reasons, it was deemed inappropriate at the time. Now, it's just as good of a time as any. This time, you're all gonna be in school again."
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"This is like the third time this season it's something school related!" Miu complained. "First, it was a school to be a superhero, then a wizarding school. What next? A school like mine with other Ultimates?!"
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"This time, we're heading to the continent of Fodlan, to the prestigious Officer's Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery."
"Officer's Academy?" Terry said to himself. "Why does that sound awfully familiar?"
"Okay, what's this school's specialty?" Susie asked.
"Come again?"
"First it was heroes, then wizards. What does this school teach you to be?"
"How to be a knight." The host explains. "This time around, you won't be students, but rather, the teachers."
"Teachers? How the heck are we supposed to do that?!" Edward asked.
"You'll be training them to fight. You'll each be teaching in one of the school's three houses. It'll be explained further once we get there. Just bear in mind Gjira's supposedly been there a couple of times."
"How could you say that last part so casually?!" Joe asked.
"In times like these, you gotta stay positive. Because being worried is not the TV look."
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"So he's been there before, huh?" Edward remarks. "Things just got more interesting. And worrisome."
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"So I'm gonna be teaching people to fight?" Susie said. "Sounds sweet. I just hope these rich kids got the chops for it."
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(One rough trip through a portal and a few airsick bags later…)
Fodlan, Year 1181
The plane was now flying low over an expansive forest. Up ahead, we could finally see the academy.
Built into a mountain range, stood Garreg Mach Monastery. A large stone castle and cathedral. It kind of looked liked Hogwarts, but smaller.
"So that's Garreg Mach, huh?" Edward said. "Looks impressive."
"Still kinda getting Hogwarts vibes from this place." Susie adds.
The jet finally lands in an open clearing near the academy. Chris and tbe contestants exit the plane and take a short walk through the woods.
They go up a small staircase, and in front of the academy is a bustling marketplace. Local shops and merchants sold weapons, food, and other assorted trinkets and fancy items.
"Get your wares here!" A red headed woman yelled. "Nobody's deals are better than mine!"
"What a load of bullshit." Miu snickered as they walked through the plaza.
They go up another small staircase, and see a soldier standing guard in front of the school's entrance.
"Greetings, travelers!" The gatekeeper said in an optimistic tone. "What business brings you here?!"
"These are the….substitute teachers." Chris explained in the best way he could. "From Total Drama? If you could direct us to the one who runs this place, it'd really help."
"Ah. Yes." The gatekeeper affirmed, getting a look at them. "Lady Rhea has been expecting you all. Please, follow me."
The gatekeeper now leads them through the knight's hall,the school's reception hall, and up a staircase to a large set of doors. During all of this, they were getting odd looks from students that happened to be around.
"The audience chamber is just beyond here, where the archbishop awaits your council." The gatekeeper explains. "But for now, that's my job taken care of. Best of luck to you all."
With that, the man takes his leave to return to his post.
"I like him." Terry says.
Suddenly, the doors to the audience chamber open, and inside, a woman stared calmly at them.
She was a beautiful and regal woman. Her hair was long, and colored a light shade of green. She wore white robes with blue and gold accents, and a gold headdress like crown. She miles gracefully at the contestants.
Next to her stood a stern looking man. He had dark green hair, and wore a navy blue uniform and cape.
"Thank you for finally arriving." The man says cordially. "My name is Seteth. I am an advisor to the archbishop. Please show her the utmost respect."
They step forward, and come face to face with Rhea herself.
"Uh...hello." Chris said awkwardly. "We're the guys. From Total Drama. Of course, I know you guys don't have television in this world, but-"
"I am fully aware of who you all are." Rhea says calmly. "And of your little competition. As a matter of fact, one of our professors signed one of their students up for a similar competition."
Chris rolls his eyes. "Ugh, don't remind me about Don's show." He said with disdain.
"What's he talking about?" Edward whispered to Susie.
"Ohhhh, right. You were gone when all of this happened." Susie said. "Basically, there's another competition in our world by a different host. And they go around doing challenges on a ship."
"Like where Spinel went to that one time?"
"No, that was a different group. But they have it easy compared to us."
"Which one of them do you think it was?" Terry asked Miu.
"Judging by the uniforms here, I'd say it's the one DIO almost gave a heart attack at the Christmas party." The inventor explained. "Shorty, messy purple hair, flat chested. Remember her?"
"Vaguely."
"So what's this thing about teaching some students?" Edward asked impatiently.
Seteth was about to scold Ed for talking out of turn, but Rhea held a hand up to quiet her advisor. She turns to him and eyes him with fascination.
"It seems as though it's more than fate that brings you here." She tells him. "You and your group of friends."
"That isn't really answering his question, lady!" Waluigi snapped.
"Waluigi!" Chris scolded. "Shut. Up."
"It is fine." Rhea assures. "Let me explain what your job as teachers will entail. Currently, professor Byleth is off on a mission that will have them occupied for a while. You will each pair up into a group of three, and be assigned to one of our three academy's three houses. You will then teach your students in the art of combat, and will put your teachings to the best in an organized battle at the end of the week between all three houses."
"Whichever house comes out on top, the teachers of that house win immunity and first class to the next destination." Chris finishes.
"For now, you should all pair up into groups of three." Seteth instructs. "Flayn is currently bringing the three house leaders here so you can be sorted and introduced."
"You heard the man." Chris said. "Partner up."
Terry looks over at Joe and Kiryu. "Whaddya say? Time for the Dragon Boyz to kick some butt!"
"I see no problem with that." Kiryu replies.
"Count me in." Joe adds.
Harley puts her arms around Miu and Waluigi.
"You guys still in?" She asks. "I mean, we are our own alliance after all. Only difference is nobody's bossing anyone. We do what we want."
"Hey, with rules like that, I'm game." Miu says.
"Sure, wah-tever." Waluigi says.
Susie looks over at Edward, Tari, and Theo. "Guess that leaves me with you guys. Hope I'm not in your all's way or anything."
"Nonsense, mini Barney." Theo said. "You're one of us."
"Hey, we don't mind, Susie." Tari tells her. "I think we'll make a great team."
"Brother!" A young female voice called. "I'm back!"
Entering the room was a young girl with green frilly hair, and wore a black dress like uniform.
"Ah, Flayn." Seteth said. "Did you bring the lords?"
Flayn nods. "They're just arriving."
With this, three new figures enter the chamber. The first one was a young woman with long white hair, wearing a red and black uniform.
The second one was a young blonde haired man in a similar uniform but it was blue instead of red.
The last one to enter was another guy, with scruffy brown hair, and wore a uniform with yellow accents.
"Whoa, these guys look like they mean business." Joe mutters.
"Would you all kindly introduce yourselves to your temporary teachers?" Rhea asks.
The woman steps forward. "I am Edelgard von Hresvelg. Soon to be emperor of the Adrestian Empire and leader of the Black Eagle House."
The man in blue steps up next. "I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. Prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and leader of the Blue Lion House."
During his introduction, Dimitri for some reason was looking directly at Edward for some reason.
"Uh….hi." Edward said awkwardly.
"So youre the one, are you?" Dimitri asks. "The one who also met him?"
"Uhhhhhhh….."
Lastly, the last guy steps up. "I'm Claude von Riegan, heir to House Riegan in the Leicester Alliance, and leader of the Golden Deer House." For him, his chill smile sure did not reach his eyes.
"Now you've met the ones who run each house." Chris said. "Now, each group will pick a house."
"I think we'll go with you." Miu quickly said as she pointed to Edelgard. "You seem interesting enough."
Edelgard nods. "A wise choice."
Kiryu walks up to Dimitri and offers his hand. "You seem strong. It will be an honor teaching you."
"I'm very much looking forward to it." Dimitri responds. "The Blue Lion House values honor and chivalry above all else."
Claude looks over at who was left. "Guess I got you guys. The Golden Deer aren't what you'd call a powerhouse just yet, but I think you guys can really change that."
Susie salutes Claude. "Oh trust me. We're strong alright." She then jabs Edward. "This guy here's probably strong enough already to stop bastards like Gjira."
With the mention of his name, you could see Dimitri's eye twitch just slightly. Ed took notice of this, and remembered Chris telling them he learned Gjira has been to Fodlan before.
"Lady Rhea." Edward asked. "Speaking of Gjira, I heard he's been here before. What's that about?"
"I have heard of your quest, young one." The archbishop said. "He's been here twice. Most recently, he was here some months ago, stealing priceless weapons that must be returned. You will do that once you've defeated him, right?"
"Of course."
"So…..what was the first time?" Tari asked.
The room was silent, and Dimitri looked at the ground, his body trembling.
"Perhaps it's best that we do not discuss this topic further." Seteth quickly said. "You should all now go try and get acquainted with the rest of your students. The batch this year are rather….. eccentric. But I think you will all fit right in."
"Well, I'll be seeing you guys at the end of the week." Chris tells the contestants. "Me and Chef are gonna take the plane to Cancun until then. See you at the fight."
They all proceed to leave, but Seteth pulls Edward aside for a brief moment.
"Alright, what's the big idea?" Ed grumbled.
"I heard of the incidents you have all caused at the last couple of institutions you all visited." The advisor said sternly. "Something about meteors and out of control automatons?"
"Yeah, but the ones who caused it aren't here."
"Don't be smart with me. I've no way to do a proper background check on you all, and the fact you know Gjira has me worried. So I suggest you and your group stay out of trouble. I've got my eye on you especially."
"Geez, way to make a guy feel welcome. Alright, I promise we won't do anything bad."
"See to it that you do."
Edward runs off to catch up with the others, while Seteth sighs and shakes his head.
"I've already got a bad feeling about this."
"Have some faith, brother." Flayn tells him. "I think they're fascinating."
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(Black Eagle Classroom)
Finally, Edelgard leads Waluigi, Harley, and Miu to the classroom for her house. Currently, five students could be seen inside, each studying and minding their own business. The only exception was one green haired young man that was lying face down on his desk, getting a good nap.
Next to him, one of the students notices the new teachers. He was a short guy with light blue hair.
"No way!" He exclaimed, getting everyone except the napping student's attention. "You guys those new teachers we were hearing about?"
"Uhh...yeah." Harley said.
"Sweet! The name's Caspar by the way! Can't wait to be kicking butt alongside you guys! What do you say we go ahead and get started?!"
"Aren't you being a little too reckless, Caspar?" One of the female students asked him. She was a beautiful woman with long brown hair, and a stylish black hat. "They literally just got here. You should at least give them time to settle in."
She then looked over at the new teachers. "Oh, sorry about that. My name is Dorothea. It's not often that we have people as interesting as you all around here."
"Alright, good to meet you, I guess." Harley said. "How about the rest of you go around and introduce yourselves."
Another student introduces himself. This time, he was a distinguished and noble looking guy with orange hair. "I am Ferdinand von Aegir. The noblest of nobles. Let us celebrate to welcome you all here."
Dorothea rolls her eyes at Ferdinand's pompous talking as he gestures to the student next to her. This one was a young lady with purple hair tied back into a braid, with a small purple marking underneath one of her eyes.
"This is Petra. She hails from Brigid, an archipelago and vassal state of the Empire."
"Hello. I am called Petra. I am pleased making your...no, I am pleased to be making your acquaintance. I hope you will be giving forgiveness. I have not entirely grasped the language of Fodlan."
Caspar nudges the sleeping guy next to him. He sits up, still looking drowsy.
"The name's Linhardt. Goodbye."
And then he drops back down to sleep.
"Looks like someone's just as happy to be here." Waluigi whispered to Harley.
"While this group is rather eccentric, I can assure you they're good at what they do." Edelgard assured. "I hope you will try and make a good first impression on the-"
The imperial princess was interrupted as Miu slammed her things on the desk up front.
Alright y'all, I'm your teacher for the week!" Miu tells them. "I don't give out extra credit….unless you beg for it." She says pervertedly.
"How amusing." A sinister voice chuckled behind her. "Because if you dare pose a threat to Lady Edelgard, I will beg for your demise."
Miu turns around and comes face to face with one more student. A tall and gothic-like intimidating man with black hair that covered one of his eyes. He grinned maliciously down at her as he held dark purple flames in his hand. Even Harley and Waluigi were a bit intimidated by him.
"Watch it, you Hot Topic reject! You scared the shit outta me!" Miu snapped. "Get to your seat!"
The man chuckles again. "You should do well to learn my name. I am Hubert, a humble servant of Lady Edelgard since we were children. My job is to make sure you don't get in her majesty's way."
"Or what?"
Miu's teammates were signaling her to shut up, but Hubert got up close in her face.
"I'll kill you. There's nothing here that says I'm not allowed to do that. You three may be our teachers, but I will not hesitate to send you to an early grave if I see fit."
Miu trembled. This guy was like a vampire or something, given how he looked. And getting away with threatening the teacher, no less.
"Hubert, that's enough." Edelgard orders. "They are also our guests. Leave her be."
"Apologies, Lady Edelgard. I was just having a bit of fun."
"Well, that's all of us." Edelgard explains. "There's also Bernadetta, but she's currently off participating in some other competition."
"Awright! Now that we've all gotten to know each other, what do you say we get to some training?!"
"But Waluigi hasn't even introduced himself yet!" Waluigi complained.
You guys just as worried as I am?" Miu asked her fellow teammates.
They both nod. They were surely in for an interesting week.
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(Golden Deer Classroom)
The whole class had gathered around to marvel at their new professors.
"So these are the guys?" A short girl with long white hair said with disbelief. "They don't seem like teachers." She gestures to Edward. "Especially this one. He's a runt."
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING A RUNT, YOU LITTLE LOST CHILD?!" Edward yelled. "YOU'RE SHORTER THAN ME, YOU KNOW!"
"DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE SOME KID!" The girl also yelled. "I'VE BEEN THROUGH MORE THAN MOST ADULTS, SO WATCH WHAT YOU CALL ME!"
As the two continue to argue back and forth, Susie talks to Claude.
"Sorry about Ed. He's really touchy about his height."
"It's fine." Claude assures. "That's Lysithea. She gets angry if you treat her like a child. As for me, I do it for fun."
"I'll admit, Lysithea shouldn't be judging you all based on looks alone." A meek, spectacled boy with light, sandy hair said. "I've heard you're all quite talented. I'm Ignatz, by the way."
"Pleasure to meet you." Tari says. "This is Susie, and Edward seems to be getting to know Lysithea at the moment."
"Aww, and who are these cute little guys?" A girl with pink hair tied into pigtails gushed as she looked at Theo and Tickles.
"I'm Theo!"
"And this is SCP 999." Edward explained. "But we call him Tickles for short."
"Wow, you sure stopped arguing really fast." Susie snarked.
Tickles chirps and gurgles happily at the attention he was getting.
"Well this pile of pudding is just adorable." The girl said. "Don't you think so too, Marianne?"
The girl she talked to had tied up blue hair, and for some reason, bags under her eyes. Very quietly, said, "Oh! Uh, yes, Hilda. He is."
"Is he edible?" A large and very muscular blonde guy asked. "Probably not. This little guy doesn't have any meat on his bones."
"That's because he doesn't have flesh, Raphael." An exasperated guy said. He had clean cut purple hair, and had a red rose adorned on his uniform. "Nor does it have bones. It's some amorphous… thing, and honestly doesn't look all too pleasing to the eye."
"Neither is your hair, Lorenz." Another lady jokes. She had boyishly short orange hair, and was currently busy polishing a lance as she spoke.
"I'll have you know your joke was entirely uncalled for, Leonie." Lorenz said with disdain. "This between me and that orange blob."
"You guys seem honestly laid back." Tari tells Claude. "For those studying to be knights, I mean."
"Hey, we fight half as good as we chatter, so I'd say we have a good shot of winning. I'd say we start practicing tomorrow."
Claude then looks over at Edward. "Plus, I'd like to see that power I heard you and Tickles managed to use."
"You know, this week will give me the perfect window of time to train that ability." Edward tells Tickles. "What do you say, little guy? We could probably beat Gjira with it."
Tickles nods happily.
"Awright! I say we celebrate!" Raphael declared. "I'll bring the meat!"
Lorenz laughs pompously. "Please. I'd say we should much rather get to know our new teachers over a nice cup of tea."
"Tea? You can't have fun over tea. If there's no meat, it's not a party."
"I gotta ask you something." Edward asks Claude. "What was up with that Dimitri guy earlier? He seemed distressed when Gjira was brought up."
"Then I assume you're not familiar with the Tragedy of Duscur?" Claude says.
The room goes quiet as soon he mentions it.
"No."
"Alright. I'll keep the explanation brief. Less than five years ago, in Faerghus, there was a massacre in the region of Duscur, where many Kingdom royals died. The people of Duscur were blamed for it, and Dimitri was the sole survivor of that day. They say Gjira was involved somehow, and beheaded the prince's father, King Lambert right in front of him. If you ask me, the Duscur people are falsely blamed. There had to be more to it than just Gjira. Though I don't think it'd be a good idea to press his princliness for details."
An awkward silence filled the room, until Susie broke that silence.
"Damn, that's awful. It really is a small world after all. I'd be upset too if I were him."
"I heard you all encountered Gjira." Ignatz inquired. "Is it true?
"We did." Edward sighed. "And he's planning to wipe out all of reality for some unknown reason. By awakening the Scarlet King, the most powerful SCP of them all. That's why we have to stop it."
"More power to you." Claude commends. "If there's any way I can help you out, just say the word."
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(Blue Lions' Classroom)
"I'm honored to have you three be our teachers." Dimitri said.
"It's no problem." Kiryu says as he puts out a cigarette. "As I said, you appear to be strong, so I hope your classmates are up to the task."
"Of course. In terms of pure physical combat and infantry prowess, the Blue Lion House is second to none."
"Okay, now it's all starting to come back to me." Terry says.
"What do you mean?" Joe asked. "Are you talking about how you thought this place seemed familiar?"
"Yep. This is where Byleth teaches. They're a friend of mine. From Smash. We even had a battle or two here."
"I thought you seemed kind of familiar." Dimitri said. "Any friend of the professor's is a friend of ours. Everyone, I'd like you to meet our teachers for the week."
The rest of the class walk up and greet the trio.
"Man, why couldn't we have gotten some hot chick as our new professor?" A red headed guy asked. This resulted in the blonde girl standing next to him to elbow him in the gut.
"Ow! Geez, Ingrid! It was only a joke!"
"You said the same thing when you tried to hit on my sweet granny, Sylvain." Ingrid retorts.
"Give me a break." Sylvain said defensively. "I was eight, and she was drop dead gorgeous."
"Forgive him, he's a bit of a….. skirt chaser." Ingrid tells them.
"Ah, it's fine." Terry assures. "JFK is literally the same way."
"These are Sylvain and Ingrid. They are childhood friends of mine. Same goes for Felix."
A guy with tied back black hair and sword at his side scowls at Joe, Kiryu, and Terry.
"Piss off. Leave while you still can." Felix snaps. He then gestures to Dimitri. "Unless you want this boar to chew you up and spit you out."
"Seems like someone's in a bad mood." Kiryu mutters.
"He's always grumpy like that." A silver haired boy explained. "Even a little more than normal because the professor chose Bernadetta for that competition."
"You don't get it, Ashe." Felix says. "I heard that it's quite a challenge, but they went and chose her? I'm surprised she's not back yet. Or dead."
"Trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be." Joe tells him. "Other than life threatening challenges, there's plenty of backstabbing, awful food, and rather unpleasant people like DIO and Starscream. Consider yourself lucky."
"Hmph. I'm surprised you're still here, string bean. Pretty soon, Bernadetta will come back crying, or dead, and then they'll realize they made the wrong choice."
"How about you quit being a jerk?" Terry suggested. It was looking to be one of those rare occasions where Terry was looking irritated. "It's over. You can't change what's done. You should be rooting for her. So cut the crap."
Felix glared at the Hungry Wolf, and slowly reached for his sword. Luckily, a large and imposing wall of a man stepped in front of him.
"That's enough, Felix." He said gruffly. "You would do better to behave for our guests."
"Tch. Fine."
The guy turns back and bows courteously.
"Apologies for his attitude. Allow me to make it up to you three. I will cook you a meal as an apology."
"I appreciate the offer, but that's not necessary." Kiryu says as he holds out his hand. "A simple handshake will do just fine. Kazuma Kiryu, former yakuza."
The guy nods and returns the gesture. "Dedue Molinaro. A man of Duscur, and Prince Dimitri's personal bodyguard and protector."
"I've heard you guys have had all kinds of crazy adventures!" A short and eager sounding girl with orange hair said. "You wouldn't mind telling us those stories, would you?"
"I'm sure we'll have plenty of time for that, Annette." A kind and soft spoken woman next to her said. "I'm sure they're probably tired from their trip here."
"Eh, she's fine." Terry assured. "We can start training tomorrow, uh...what's your name?"
"Mercedes."
"Ah, Mercedes. Man, there's gonna be quite a few names to remember. I don't mind telling you some of the crazy antics we've gotten up to."
"Well count me out." Felix huffed. The swordsman leaves the room, and begins to think to himself.
"Sure, Dimitri may look nice, but pretty soon, the Boar will awaken. And tear them a new one."
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And so, the first day at Garreg Mach wrapped up. Our contestants had gotten settled in, and got acquainted with their students. They had The next few days to prepare and train their students for a battle at the end of the week.
The next day, they had begun their teaching. They were allowed to teach in any way they saw fit. Some of the contestants decided to teach battle tactics inside the classroom, while others went out to the training grounds or the forest for some more hands-on training.
We now move to the forest. Edward and Tari took Raphael, Lysithea, and Claude with them.
"Hmm. I'm not familiar with using tomes." Tari said as she had a small spellbook hovering in front of her.
"Magic is my bread and butter." Lysithea explained. "I don't know how much more from it I can learn."
Lysithea uses two tomes floating in front of her to show off small bursts of light and dark magic.
"Impressive." Tari remarks. "Let me try."
Using her tome, Tari fires out a small bit of lightning from it. About enough to cause a small static shock, unfortunately.
"Eh, you're still a beginner." Claude tells the gamer as he's firing arrows off at targets. "Lysithea is the youngest student here, but she's a magic prodigy."
"Do you think I could learn it too?" Theo asks.
"It'd probably be best for you stick to jumping and throwing coconuts." Tari suggested.
Nearby, Edward readied himself, with Tickles by his side.
"Alright big guy! Ready when you are!"
Raphael nods and picks up a large boulder with ease.
"You sure you want me to do this?" Raphael asks. "We don't want our new professor getting injured on his first day."
"It'll be fine. I've been through worse. Now throw it at me!"
Raphael chucks the boulder, and Ed takes a deep breath. His body tingles, and Tickles flies into Ed's arm, turning it orange. He throws his fist at the boulder, and just before it makes contact, the boulder shatters.
"Holy cow! That was amazing!" Raphael exclaimed. "You gotta tell me your training regimen!"
Tickles emerges from his arm, and gives a gurgling sigh. Everyone around them marveled at this display of power.
"Now that's some ability." Claude remarks. "What exactly are you doing?"
"Recreating how it worked last time." Ed explained. "When it happened, I felt his emotions, and he felt mine. I know it sounds weird, but I guess you could say….. we sync up our positive emotions. This power, whatever it is, uses positivity and joy as its power source."
"And just how did you figure that out?" Tari asked.
"Would you believe me if I said I went off and tried practicing this back on the plane a bit by myself?"
"Hmm. No wonder when you said you were "going to the bathroom" you were gone for so long."
"Sorry for lying about that. Ever since then, it's really piqued my curiosity. So far, channeling it into specific parts of my body is the best I can do at the moment. Going all out was super taxing for the both of us. Okay, Raphael. We're gonna keep doing this until Tickles and I can't go no more."
"Kind of like endurance training, huh?" Lysithea asked. "That makes sense."
"You heard Teach, Raph." Claude said. "Do your thing."
"Get ready! My muscles can't be contained!"
For the rest of the session, Edward practiced the still yet mysterious power SCP 999 had, while the others focused on practicing their magic and archery.
(Training Grounds)
Dimitri stands calmly, lance in hand. Terry, Kiryu, and Felix surround him, armed with gauntlets and swords.
The three rush at him, and Dimitri is able to quickly block their attacks with unprecedented strength. Like an overwhelming force of nature, the Prince knocks all three to the ground.
"So, who's next?" Dimitri asks.
"This guy…..is a one man army." Kiryu pants.
"How are you so… strong?" Terry adds.
"It's simple." Felix answered. "The Prince is nothing more than a violent boar."
"Are you just gonna let him talk about you like that?!" Joe asked. Meanwhile, the boxer was sparring with Dedue, boxing gloves to gauntlets.
Dimitri shakes his head. "No, he's right. I know what I am. And my Crest may also play a part in why I'm so strong."
"Crest?" Terry asked.
"They're gifts from the gods themselves. Many people in Fodlan are born with them. They can grant people different boons, such as strength, magic prowess, and even skilled accuracy and coordination, among other things."
"I heard his highness once lifted an entire merchant's carriage, horse and all." Ashe brought up. "With one arm, no less."
"It was nothing." Dimitri said humbly. "I was just trying to help him out."
"Still, I'd say a majority of that power comes from the monster within him." Felix snarked.
"Dude, would you chill it out with insulting the guy?!" Terry asked.
"I'm just speaking the truth." Felix spat. "And I'm trying to save your skins. Dimitri is a monster. I've seen it with my own eyes."
Now the contestants laugh at this, while Dimitri is looking a bit somber.
"Look, Felix." Sylvain began. "It's kind of killing the mood when you act like that."
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"Man, looking back on it, i wish we had listened to Felix." Terry said. "Because unfortunately, we found out the ugly truth soon enough.)
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Out in the forest, the Black Eagles were standing there impatiently as their teachers were off coming up with their game plan.
"Look, I don't have the patience for these guys." Harley told her teammates. "A bunch of stuck up noble brats. It's already gonna be a hassle training them in the art of warfare."
"Yeah, not to mention that Hubert guy scares the shit out of me." Miu adds.
"So wah-t do you suggest we do?" Waluigi asks.
Harley smiles.
"We do what we do best. Have them kick ass our way. Fight dirty."
"Okayyy? Miu said skeptically.
"Build some weapons." Harley suggested. "You're an inventor, right? We could do with some missile launchers or something."
"Well, I'd have to find the parts. This place isn't the most technological, but maybe I can find what I need at at the market."
"Awesome." Harley looks over at Waluigi. "You're another well known trickster. Got any of those bombs of yours?"
"Of course. Waluigi has plenty to spare."
"Good. We'll load everyone with enough weapons and firearms that'll do the work for us."
"Alright, I'll go and see if I can find what we'd need." Miu says.
"Good. Waluigi, looks like it's up to you and me now."
The two of them return to their students.
"If I may ask, where is your friend going?" Edelgard asked.
"Getting the shit that'll put us a few hundred years ahead of what the others can do." Harley explained.
The two teachers start handing out bats, hammers, and bombs.
"Um, what are we doing?" Caspar asked.
"You're gonna go out there and fuck up some monsters." Harley said. "The anti Geneva Convention way."
"I don't know what that means, but I'm gonna agree just so I don't have to keep talking." Linhardt said.
"This seems highly...dangerous." Dorothea said worriedly.
"We're villains." Harley said. "This is how villains fight. Well, except Miu, but you get the point."
"Hmph. Seems like you have got some edge to you." Hubert said. "I like that."
"Edge? But there are no edges." Petra pointed out.
"It's just a figure of speech, Petra." Ferdinand sighed. "Regardless, I think your plan is sure to help us secure victory. Black Eagles, move out!"
"Um, Ferdinand?" Edelgard said sternly. "That's my job."
Just after this, a giant bird monster flies down at them.
"Well, time to put our trickery to the test, class!" Waluigi said. "We've got a challenge to win!"
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Later that evening, everyone was chilling out, having dinner in the academy's dining hall.
Edward was seen wolfing down an insane amount of food, while Tickles was practically inhaling the sweets and desserts that lay before him. His teammates and class watch in utter shock.
"Wow. And I thought I could put away the food." Raphael said.
"I'm beginning to lose my appetite." Lorenz said with disgust.
"He worked up quite an appetite today." Tari said. "They both did."
Edward stops eating for a second to explain.
"I said before that this power takes up a lot of Energy. Gotta keep us fueled up, you know?"
"Heard that." Susie said. "So everything went well for you guys?"
"I'd say I'm getting the power down. Still not quite mastered it, but I'm making good progress."
"Believe it or not, I'm making good progress with learning magic." Tari explained. "What about you, Susie?"
"She's a natural born warrior." Leonie said. "The captain would be amazed."
"Yeah, she could probably give my brother a good fight." Hilda adds. "If it's not too much to ask, can I sit out the fight? As a fragile maiden, I'm just useless in battle."
"Nice try. You were being lazy during the entire lesson." Susie told her. "You're strong if you actually try. As you can see, I was made for this. Wish I could have gone to a school like this sooner."
"So what's our game plan for tomorrow, Teach?" Claude asks.
"Same as usual." Ed replies as he goes back to eating. "Pretty sure by the time the fight rolls around, this power of ours will be a big help. And I'll probably be ready for Gjira."
"Um….." Marianne said.
"What?"
The quiet girl points behind her, and Ed could see Dimitri staring at him.
"He's been looking over here the whole time." Ignatz whispered. "Specifically at you."
"No kidding." Edward mutters. "Given what Claude told us yesterday, I'd figure he's not too keen hearing about Gjira again."
Edward looks over at Tari.
"Tari, I know this sounds weird, but I kind of see myself in him."
"What?!"
"Tickles has been eyeing him curiously. He really has an eye for those with sadness or darkness in their hearts."
"What are you saying?"
"He's probably like how I was feeling before I reunited with you guys. Filled with hate and vengeance. He's honestly done a good job at masking it. I'll be honest, Tickles and you guys have been a big help to get me back on track. But deep down, that trauma and rage can never truly go away. I honestly felt close to relapsing back in Towa City. And he'd have a big reason to feel the same. He's what I'd be if I didn't have you guys there to help."
Tari looked at him skeptically. "That's quite a guess."
"I know it sounds crazy, but I've been able to pick up on this feeling. Guess that's because I've been spending a lot of time with this little guy."
Tickles nods as he inhales a plate of sweet buns and peach sorbet.
"You do make a good point. I'm just worried, is all. It's all still so surreal. Everything that's happened since the merge began. Rick's true motive, the Foundation raid, meeting Gjira, and our rescue mission in Towa City. Everything used to be much simpler. I kinda wish all of this never happened."
"Relax, Tari." Susie says. "Once we send that scaly jerk's butt packing, things can go back to normal. We're still in a million dollar competition, you know."
"Yeah, just have that money to look forward to." Theo says. "Think of all the games we could download to the server."
Tari cracks a smile for her oldest friend. "Honestly, I forgot about the money. I don't even know what I'd use it for if I won."
"Huh. Same." Edward said. "I've still got what Wendy shared with me when she won. I'd say I don't care if I win at this point."
"You two are crazy." Susie said. "When I win, I'm putting that money into a hero for hire business. I'm on the path to becoming a hero, and what better way to do so?"
The atmosphere became much more lively after that. The group laughed and chatted as they finished up dinner, ready for the remainder of training they had.
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Now, the next four days, as we now see a training montage between our contestants and their students. Edward practiced more with his new power, the Black Eagles were learning the art of using firearms and fighting dirty, and The Dragon Boyz used their martial Arts training to toughen their class up.
(During this, picture some epic montage training music of your choice.)
And now, four days later, it was time. Each group packed up their gear, as it was time to head to where the battle would take place: Gronder Field, in the Adrestian Empire. A battlefield where the Academy normally hosted their annual Battle of Eagle and Lion. But today, the occasion was different.
Each group rode in silence in their carriages, along with everything they needed.
In the Lion's carriage, Kiryu noticed Dimitri looking down, his hands trembling.
"Something bothering you?"
"Oh, um, it's nothing! I appreciate the concern." Dimitri said quickly.
The yakuza's eyebrows narrowed. "You can't lie to me. I can tell something is wrong."
Dimitri sighed with defeat. "It's just... since you guys showed up, I've been having these nightmares."
"What nightmares?" Terry asked.
"It's Gjira. I remember the day he showed up years ago. And I see your friend Edward there. I see myself in him."
"Can't blame ya there." Terry said. "You both are strong as heck."
Dimitri shook his head, and gave an eerie smile.
"No… I don't believe you. I'm nothing like him. He's weak…."
His classmates began to look at each other with concern.
"Ever since you guys showed up, he's been acting weird." Annette said.
Felix smirked. "This is nothing new to me. I know full well what's gonna happen."
Kiryu gives Joe a worried look that only means one thing.
"What are we about to get ourselves into?"
Waiting for them at the battlefield were Rhea, Chris, Seteth, and the interns. Behind them, lay Gronder Field: a fertile field perfect for agriculture, complete with a ballista in the middle of the field.
"So this is the place, huh?" Waluigi asked. "Pretty fitting."
"You all ready?" Harley asked them. Her teammates and the Black Eagles were strapped with bombs, and homemade missile launchers, courtesy of Miu.
They all nod, except for Linhardt, who dozed off.
Dorothea shakes her friend awake. "Hey, Linny! We're here!"
"Just how did you manage to acquire the materials for all of this?" Ferdinand asked.
"I did some things I'm not proud of." Miu groaned.
We then view a short flashback of Miu using her magnetic powers street performing in the market to get the money. From juggling swords with her powers to other party tricks, it did the job, and she made a decent amount of gold doing it.
"Regardless, you brats are gonna kick ass out there!" Harley said, hyping them up.
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Soon after, everyone got out and were guided to their positions at three different points on the field. They took their positions and readied their weapons Rhea, Chris, and the others stood atop a large hill in front of the field to oversee the fight.
"TIME TO PUT YOUR TRAINING TO THE TEST!" Chris said over his megaphone. "THE LAST HOUSE STANDING WINS! AND REMEMBER, NO KILLING!"
"You all should know…" Dimitri took out his lance, and pointed it at the horizon. "I am not about to go easy on you today!" Roars of approval sounded from the Blue Lions.
"Our victory must be absolute." Edelgard whipped her hair back, as the Black Eagles readied their weapons. "No matter what it may take."
Claude propped his bow on his shoulder, as he walked forward. "As long as we get the victory, it doesn't matter how."
Rhea nods, and Chris sounds off an airhorn, signaling that the fight has begun.
All three armies rush forward, whether they use weapons, or their own two fists, and engage in combat.
Kiryu confronts Raphael in a fistfight, both armed with gauntlets. Both throw a flurry of punches, until Kiryu throws a roundhouse kick at his side, sending the big guy flying. He then manages to dodge a missile, which flies into the distance.
"Whoa! I can really feel the power with this bad boy!" Caspar says, marveling at the launcher.
He's unfortunately caught off guard as Susie knocks him out with the handle of her ax.
"Better be aware of your surroundings, chump."
Susie then turns and clashes axes with Dedue, as he snuck up on her.
"God, you're strong."
"All for his highness!" Dedue roared.
Joe runs towards the Black Eagles, decked in heavy armor, tanking their bombs.
"Not bad, Glass Joke!" Harley remarks. The clown leaps acrobatically at him and knocks his helmet off.
"Huh?!"
BONK!
He is swiftly knocked out with a hammer to the noggin.
Tari casts thunder magic, now making it rain from the sky, managing to take out many people with large thunderbolts.
She sees Dimitri, with Ferdinand, Ignatz, Lorenz, and Hilda below him, all knocked out and bloody. This worried Tari.
"Hey, there's no need to be overly violent!"
Dimitri slowly turns to her. His smile is wide and creepy, and dark lines were under his eye.
"Bring him to me." He said darkly.
"Huh?!"
"You heard me. Bring Elric to me. I must fight him."
"Dimi-bro, what's going on?!" Terry asked as he ran up to him amid the hectic battlefield.
Dimitri punches Terry in the throat, knocking out cold.
"Hey! He was your teammate!" Tari snapped.
Dimitri chuckles to himself. "So what if he is? I wish for a world where the strong will no longer trample the weak. And I must get rid of him as my biggest obstacle. I don't care who I must destroy! Or who I'll use until the flesh melts from their bones!"
Dimitri runs away, but Tari runs after him.
"Get back here, you! I'm not letting you potentially kill anyone!"
"Wait, Tari! This isn't a good idea!" Theo said as he ran after her.
Felix watches this as he cuts down Petra and Waluigi. (Non lethally, of course.) He knew full well his longtime friend was once again unleashing his trauma and fear in what could be.
"So...the boar finally wakes up, does he?" Felix says. "I think it'd be best if I withdraw from the fight. I like fighting strong people, but that's a fight I cannot win."
Edward, meanwhile, was using his alchemy to use the ground as his weapon. (He didn't feel like using his new power just yet, to better conserve energy.)
He makes a wall that drops down on Sylvain, knocking him out cold.
"You feeling alright, little guy?" He asks Tickles, who sat on his shoulder. He gives a gurgle of approval.
"Good. Hey, where is everyone?"
Edward looks around and sees that no one else is around him. He could still hear the roars and sounds of metal clashing, but something felt off.
"That's weird. There was fighting going on everywhere. It can't be over that quickly."
He ran to where he could hear the noise, and was shocked at the sight before him.
Dimitri was surrounded.
Surrounded by everyone from all three armies who were still standing.
"You're out of control, you little shit!" Miu yelled.
"Out of control?! Hahahaha!" Dimitri said dementedly. "I'm perfectly in control! In fact, I've never felt more happy! Tell Elric to come here now!"
"You're acting crazy, Dimitri." Edelgard warned. "You're acting like a beast! And if you continue to act like one, than you shall be put down like one."
"Do your worst!"
"Get him!" Miu ordered.
The Black Eagles fire their weapons, yet Dimitri tanks the explosions without so much as his clothing getting damaged.
Miu looks over at Harley, not looking too pleased. "'Putting us a few hundred years of what the others could do', you said."
"Heh heh…." Harley laughed nervously. "How was I supposed to know they had a mental juggernaut?"
Dimitri swings his lance, and knocks that group away.
Looming through binoculars, Chris and the others looked worried.
"What the heck is this guy's problem?" The host cried. "He's a one man army!"
"Lady Rhea, I urge you to call this off!" Seteth pleads. "Prince Dimitri is not well! The last thing we'd want is for him to kill someone!"
Rhea holds a hand up to silence him.
"I think that young man can handle this all by himself." Rhea answers. "Lets see how he handles it before we intervene."
"Are you mad?!" Chris questioned. "I'm not letting this punk kill my contestants!"
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Dedue steps forward, looking distraught.
"Your highness, please!" He pleads. "You must calm down!"
"Dedue… stand down!" The Prince growled. "I don't want to hurt you."
With hesitation, Dedue nods and steps down, as he will not refuse orders from him.
Dimitri then strikes down the rest of the Golden Deer, but grabs Susie by the neck and begins to strangle her.
"I want this feeling to go away!" Dimitri roared. "No matter how many I destroy, I'm the only one that's hurt!"
Susie gags for air as she hopelessly struggles to break free.
"Such a shame! A piggy like you can't squeal for help."
"Let my friend go, Dimitri!"
The Prince of Faerghus turns to see Edward glaring at him.
"And so, the hero finally shows his face." He drops Susie to the ground, and she begins to cough violently.
"What do you say you face me!" Dimitri orders. "I can't stand the sight of y-"
"I know about the Tragedy of Duscur." Ed interrupts.
Dimitri's smile drops, and his left eye twitches.
"And I get it." He continues. "Gjira has caused us problems. I want to stop him. I was like you right now, but I-"
"Don't think you can talk your way out of this!" Dimitri yelled. "I know as well! And as soon as I met you, and heard of your little mission, the nightmares returned! And the voices of those I lost returned. You did this! You are what I was! I was not strong enough to save them, to save my father, who died for me!"
Dimitri then remembers that day.
The day where everything changed.
*Almost Five Years Ago…..
Flames and dead bodies were all that the young Dimitri could see.
"Father!" He cried, running through the maelstrom. "Father! Where are you?!"
He finally sees his father, Lambert, on the ground, defeated. In front of him stood Gjira, looking down at the man with disappointment.
"What a shame, Lambert." Gjira groaned. "Just when I thought I'd have a real fight, I'm disappointed yet again. At leadt the Agarthans will give me their technology for this."
Nearby, his commanders stood there, laughing at Lambert.
"Sururururu! Those who are weak deserve to be laughed at while they die!" Sura cackled.
"Ukikikikiki!" Kogus laughed. "Can we hurry this up, master?! I'm hungry, and I gotta go pee!"
Ghido turns to see Dimitri. The young prince stood there in disbelief, tears streaming down his face.
"Lord Gjira." Ghido said. "It appears your execution has an audience."
Lambert weakly turns his head, ashamed of what his son had to witness.
"D…..Dimitri…."
"Father!" Dimitri cried.
"Hey, brat!" Gjira roared. "You're gonna be king of this land one day, yeah?! Well, you're about to witness what happens when a king defies a force of nature! Take this message to your very soul! Zillalalala!"
"Rodrigue!" Lambert said. "Take Dimitri and get him out of here!"
Gjira reaches for his club and raises it high above Lambert's head.
Suddenly, a man runs up and grabs Dimitri, then runs away from Gjira.
"No! I have to help him!" Dimitri said.
"You must live on!" Rodrigue told him. "Be like your father! Live and fight for what you believe in!
Dimitri looks back at his father, who had a last word before he met his fate.
"My son….I love you. Be a better king than I."
But Dimitri heard something different in his head. He heard….
"Kill them! Make them suffer, my son! Avenge me!"
Dimitri gives one last cry as he sees his father's head roll.
"So you see…..I must destroy that monster." Dimitri explained. "Even though we went down a similar path, you strayed too far. You've gone soft. Too merciful."
"There's nothing wrong with that!" Edward snapped. "I know there's blood on my hands!" He then looks at his prosthetic arm. "And I know I've made mistakes that were worse….."
"...but you're wrong. They didn't die for you! They lived the way they died: for what they believe in!"
"Shut up!" Dimitri roared.
He charges at Ed, and the two begin to fight. Ed quickly turns part of his metal arm to a blade, and duel with their weapons.
Metal clashes with metal, but Dimitri had the superior physical strength. Ed struggled to keep up, and keep the lance from stabbing his neck.
Edward's friends wake up, and see the two fighting.
"He's gonna kill him!" Joe said worriedly.
"There's no way Ed will lose!" Waluigi told him. "Remember how he defeated that creepy girl?!"
"Ed, if there's any time to use that power, now would be the time!" Tari said.
That was easier said than done for him, as fending off a savage Dimitri took up most of his concentration
"Okay, Ginyu Force!" Chris ordered. "Go out there and help him!"
"Stand down." Rhea ordered. "Give him more time."
Dimitri gets sneaky, and trips Ed, making him fall on his back. He stabs the lance into the ground, dangerously close to his neck.
"Before I send you to the eternal flames, do you have any final words?" Dimitri asked triumphantly.
"I... won't stop… fighting. To save us all!" Edward gasped.
Dimitri shakes his head. "That's it? What a shame. Don't worry, I'll complete the mission in your place, except with a body count."
As Dimitri prepares to put Edward down, we see SCP 999 who fell off during the duel. He crawls towards his friend, and screams loudly. A ball of might emerges from Edward's chest that blinds the both of them.
"What the hell?!" Dimitri exclaimed.
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Edward now found himself in a dark void. With nothing but a light shined down on him.
"Uh...hello?"
He walks through the darkness, the light still on him.
"God, where the hell am I now?" He complained.
"Deep in your soul." A familiar voice answered.
Edward turned around, looking for the voice.
"Who said that?! Show yourself, right now!"
Another spotlight shines in front of him, and Edward comes face to face with… himself.
"Me?!"
Well, almost. It was him, but….. before he reunited with his friends. His grungy hair, eye patch, tattered clothes, and snarl really hit home who it was.
"'Sup?" The other Edward said.
"What's going on here?! Why are you here?!"
"Your little friend took you on a little trip to the center of your soul. You wanna use the full extent of his power? Well, you must face your inner demons first. If you don't, well, we die."
"Are you saying…..I have to beat you?"
"Not in a traditional sense. You must accept the tragedy with the joy. Both can't live without the other. But don't think I'll ever go away. You and I both know that it still haunts you. What Gjira did, and especially what you've done."
"Yeah…." Edward said shamefully. "The nightmares still bother me."
"You should know Dimitri feels the same." Other Ed explains. "But you had people to pull you back from the abyss. And that little blob showed you the power of joy, in more ways than one. You can use that power to fight, but also to heal."
"Uh-huh….."
"He needs your help more than ever. But if I'm to submit, I want you to promise something."
"What's that?"
"Never forget. Never forget your struggles or your pain. It'll help those you care about. It'll stop the Scarlet King and Gjira. But most importantly….. you'll be doing me a great deed."
He then holds his hand. "So…. do you accept it fully?"
Edward nods, and as he reaches out his hand, the other him suddenly transforms into Tickles.
"Thank you. Now I have full trust in you. You meet my expectations, just like Yastor millennia prior."
"Wait, who's Ya-AGGGGGHHH!"
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Now back to the fight, Dimitri is blown back as Edward has now transformed. While this transformation looked pretty much like his transformation in Towa City. Only now, while he had the flaming orange hair and black clothes, he had orange ornate leg and arm guards, an orange cape with a black lining, and an orange armor like crown around his head.
"He did it again…." Miu muttered.
"Looks a bit different than before." Terry adds.
"This form….." Dimitri wondered. "What trickery is this?!"
Ed laughs, as the tingly feeling makes him feel invigorated.
"It's something I need to teach you." He explained. "To heal your broken soul."
Dimitri tosses his lance away. "Quit blabbering on! You're a soft hack who's not worthy to save mankind!"
Dimitri runs at him, baring his fangs. He throws a punch, but Edward quickly catches it.
"Huh?!"
"We tried doing this the nice way, so now we must get a little physical."
"Gggggrrrr….. SHUT UP! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOURE TALKING ABOUT!"
Dimitri and Ed then exchange punches. While Ed was putting up a much better fight than before, Dimitri's attacks still hurt a bit. Luckily, the ticklish feeling he had distracted him enough to not focus on it.
"The voices aren't there!" Edward yelled as he pummeled Dimitri. "It's all in your head! They died for what they believed in! That's what my friends are doing! That's what I'm doing! And so should you, if we're so similar!"
"If…..uIf...urgh… that's the case….." Dimitri grunted. "No matter how much lingering regret a person has, after death, they are powerless. Hatred, regret, those burdens fall on the shoulders of those left behind! I must continue on this path! It is far too late to stop."
Edward immediately stops hitting him upon hearing these words
"You're wrong." He tells him.
"Do not waste your breath with some nonsense about how I should move on with my life for their sake. That is merely the logic of the living. It's meaningless."
Dimitri looks away with regret. "Those who died lingering with regret….. they will not lose their hold on me so easily. But you seem to have all the answers…"
Dimitri begins to cry, and chokes back sobs.
"...so tell me, Fullmetal. Please, tell me. How do I silence their desperate pleas?! How do I save them? Ever since that day years ago, I have lived only to avenge the fallen. Even my time at the Academy was all so that I could secure my revenge, and clear the regret of the dead. It was the only way to keep me alive… the only way to keep moving forward."
"Dimitri….you must forgive yourself." Edward said. "I did. Even though I'll never forget what I've done, I've accepted it."
"Hmph. But then who or what…...should I live for?"
"You live for what you believe in. That's what I've been trying to tell you. Take it from someone with firsthand experience."
"...What I believe in?" Dimitri questioned. "Heh. Rodrigue said the same thing. But is that possible? Could one such as I truly deserve such a life? As the sole survivor of that day… do I…. do I have the right to live for myself?
Edward holds his hand out to Dimitri.
"Yes. You do."
And then he punched him so hard, the imprint of his knuckles was seen on his cheek. Edward hit him hard to the ground, knocking the prince out.
"He…...he did it." Seteth gasped.
"Seems I was right." Rhea said. "That young man is indeed charismatic enough."
Edward shuts the power off, and Tickles emerges from him, sitting next to him.
"I think we got the point across, little guy."
"Congratulations, Ed!" Chris announced. "Your group won the challenge!"
I've honestly got a lot more to be happy about at the moment."
A sharp pain suddenly shoots through his back, and everything goes dark. The kickback from the transformation reared its ugly head.
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Edward wakes up, and sees his friends and the students waiting for him to wake up.
"What a relief." Kiryu said.
"Wish I was awake to see the epic stuff you did, man." Caspar said. "Heard it was sick!"
"How long was I out?" Ed asked.
"A few hours." Tari said. "Luckily, everyone is alive."
"And guess what?" Susie grinned. "We won the challenge thanks to you."
"Oh….right. Wait, what about Dimitri?!"
"He's right over there, Teach." Claude answers.
Edward bolts up, but winces when he feels his sore muscles.
"Crap….. forgot about the downside."
He limps over to Dimitri, who stood their by himself, looking up at the sky. His face was now bandaged up.
"Um… hey." Ed said awkwardly.
"Hello." Dimitri replied. "Look, I need to tell you something."
"It's fine, I've forgiven you."
"No, it's not that. You've… completely shattered my worldview. That's…..still a lot to grapple with. I….. still feel like I have a lot I need to do for myself before I am to become king."
"What are you saying?" Ed asks.
"After you all leave, I'm leaving the Academy, and returning to Faerghus by myself. I must try and get some affairs in order. I want to better myself for my friends, and my people. I hope to see you again. Maybe when you inevitably fight Gjira."
"Heh heh…. that'd be cool."
"Before we part ways, can I ask you for a favor?" Dimitri asks.
"Uhh, sure. What is it?"
"I know you have quite a few burdens you carry as you carry out your journey, but….. will you also carry the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus on your back?"
That was a lot to ask. But, well, Ed was already fighting a do or die battle, and especially for this guy, how could he refuse?
"Sure thing."
The two shake on it.
"Edward...thank you."
"Hey, Edward!" Chris yelled. "We're leaving! Get your butt on the plane or we're gonna leave you behind!"
"Well….take care."
Edward heads back to the others, as they're all getting on the plane and saying their goodbyes.
"Take care, you guys." Susie says as she fist bumps Claude.
"Are you sure you want me to keep these?" Tari asked Lysithea. The gamer was being gifted a few magic tomes.
"I think they'll come in handy for you." Lysithea says. "I got plenty.
"Give Bernadetta our regards if you ever encounter her." Edelgard says.
"Sure thing." Miu says. "That is if she doesn't run away from me."
Dedue bows to Terry and Kiryu. "It has been an honor fighting alongside you."
"Let's skip the formalities, pal. It was a fun fight, through and through." Terry said nonchalantly.
"You all are such a weird group." Felix grumbled. He sees Edward coming back. "Hey, pipsqueak."
"What do you want?" Edward asked.
"Thanks for helping my friend. He may never be one hundred percent the same, but at least it's a start from the boar I know."
"It's no problem." Edward assured. "Glad I could help."
With the crew now aboard the jet, the students of Garreg Mach wave goodbye as the contestants bid Fodlan farewell.
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Later, the nine contestants were all in the elimination room.
"Gotta say, that was surely a crazy challenge." Chris said. "At least this time, there were no rescue missions or conspiracies and whatnot. Anyway, time to vote who gets the drop.
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Tari was busy contemplating between Miu, Waluigi, and Harley.
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Harley casually stamps Kiryu's passport.
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Miu sighs as she stamps Harley's passport.
"Hey, hope there's no hard feelings. I'm at least grateful for you helping with Coyle."
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"Your idea didn't do Waluigi any favors." He said as he stamped Harley's passport. "Sorry, but nobody Waluigi that Dimitri kid was a monster!"
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Joe, in a strategic move, voted for himself. Partly due to indecisiveness, and because he figured no one would vote for him.
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"Crap… this is tough." Susie groaned as she looked at her options.
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"Edward, Susie, Tari, to the victors go the spoils." Chris said as he tossed out three bags to them.
"Terry, Miu, Joe, you guys are safe too." Chris hands out three more bags.
"Why the heck is Waluigi in tbe bottom three?" Waluigi complained.
"Relax bro, you're safe too." Chris hands Waluigi a bag.
Kiryu and Harley both look at each other.
"You two have played a good game thus far. Too bad for Harley, because the last bag goes to Kiryu."
Harley looks in disbelief as Kiryu catches his reward.
"Well, shit." She said, "Should've seen this coming. At least I can hold it over Deadpool that I did better than him."
"Hey, sorry." Miu said. "If I came up with the idea, you probably would have voted for me. But I hope there's no hard feelings."
Harley shrugs as she takes her parachute. "Eh, it is what it is. Still kinda sucks though. Good luck with Gjira and all that."
With this Harley hops off the plane to the ground below.
"Well, what does this mean for us?" Waluigi asks Miu. "Our group is down a member. Do we go our separate ways?"
"I guess so. You and I already mix like oil and water. Besides,it doesn't make us any less underdogs as we were."
"So Ed, I gotta ask." Terry says. "What's really up with you and Tickles? Have you figured out that whole weird transforming thing?"
"I'd say so." Edward said. He looks at Tickles, who's currently wolfing down Ed's bag of peanuts. "But I'd rather not say. Even my head is still spinning after today.
Now that he had using the power down, and its downsides, and faced his inner demons. Honestly, he felt pretty satisfied after today. But who is Yastor? And when would Gjira try something next?
Well, their next adventure was going to answer both of these questions.
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Is it that obvious Dimitri is my favorite 3 Houses character?
Regardless, so ends another leg of our adventure. Only eight remain, as we say goodbye to Harley. She started off fairly strong, but when the merge rolled around, she was honestly the one I had the hardest time writing for. She was originally planned to be eliminated at Niagara Falls, but things changed as I kept writing. How's that for a little fun fact.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a game I've fallen in love with over the last year, as well as its characters. I was excited when a character from it was suggested for one of my stories, but Dimitri will always be number one. Apologies for not devoting a lot of time to each student, but the game has a pretty big cast of characters. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and I liked my idea of incorporating Gjira into Dimitri's backstory. The guy's had it rough, but at least Edward has lifted the burden off his shoulders, more or less. Who knows, we might see the boar Prince again.
Here's what's in store for next time. A treasure hunt in Cambodia goes awry as Zandrill and Gideon crash the scene. While Edward gets away, he meets a weird young child, and is shown a universe beyond his understanding. Not only will he be told the history of the Hero of Happiness, but we'll also be getting Gjira's backstory! Bet you didn't expect that, huh?
But before that, it's time for the aftermath once again. So if you got a message or question for Giovanni, Iida, Toko, or Harley, now's the time to send them. (As you all know, Rick is unable to show up at the moment.)
On top of that, we're adding a new segment to the aftermath show. We'd like to showcase the contestants' never before seen audition tapes. So I'd like to see you guys come up with audition tapes for characters of your choosing. (With the exception of the BV cast.) And they will be chosen and shown on the aftermath show from here on out.
Until then, read, review, and leave your ideas and whatnot. Till next time, this is MemeKing, signing off.