Chapter 9: Abandoned Villagers and the Merchant Anna
After Ricken gets a Yukiwarashi, nicknamed Whittaker, as his partner, they continue journey to north. With Ricken and Whittaker join with the other Shepherds for Reina's training, they slowly getting the hang of Pokémon battles.
As they trudge through the snow-covered path, Frederick notices something and alerts Chrom. "Milord, look! Risen!"
Chrom frowns upon seeing where the knight is pointing to. "Ugh, and there's a village just ahead. Come on!"
At the village entrance, there are a few people knocking on the door, begging to be let in.
"Help! Heeelp! Open the gates! The dead walk the earth! If you've any kindness in you, open the gates! We're from Woodham, up the road! You KNOW us! Please, open the– Gods, no. …No! They're here! Aaaiiieeeeee!"
Nearby, the Shepherds see this as they hear one of the villagers from outside the gate screams.
"Hmm… The townsfolk of this village are renowned for their hospitality. How could they turn away refugees fearing for their lives?" Frederick questions.
"Let's worry about saving those lives first. We can ask questions later." Chrom says and turns to Robin. "Do you have some ideas, Robin?"
"Yes. Chrom, I want you to talk with the villagers out there and Frederick, go to the village to see what's wrong while we fight off the Risen."
"Got it. All right, you heard her! Let's go!" Chrom orders and they spread out on the battlefield.
As Frederick quickly rides to the village, he strikes every Risen in his path and reaches to the village.
"Excuse me! I am from the Shepherds! Open the gates!" Frederick shouts.
The gates open revealing an elderly man. "Is it really? Shepherds are always welcome here. Please take this with you." He gives Frederick a bow and arrows.
Frederick accepts the items and asks. "Why have you turn refugees away when they were here?"
"We're a peaceful town, sir. We have no weapons, nor any want for them. We survive by barring our gates to those who might bring us harm, friend or foe. Harsh as it may be, I can't have my people dying on account of other folks' problems…"
Frederick couldn't believe what the elder said. The fact that they knew there were refugees who wants to go into the village, but they ignored them just to that they don't want to get involve with the war.
Meanwhile, Chrom and the other Shepherds fight off the Risen as Chrom goes to the one of the three refugees.
"Are you all right?!" Chrom asks.
"Oh, thank goodness you've come! Are you here to help us?"
"We'll hold them off! Run!"
"U-Understood! If we make it out alive, I'll repay you! I swear!"
Luke notices something at the corner of his eye and gets behind of the prince when a Risen is about to strike him from behind, but the Erllade blocks the attack and pushes the Risen.
"Thank you, Luke." Chrom says and Luke looks back, nods.
~Afterwards~
The Shepherds gathers back together after wiping the Risen away and now Chrom stands in front of the three refugees.
"I've not the words to thank you, nor the treasure to pay you, but… here. Take this." The three villagers each gives him three different items. "I didn't think people like you still existed. I'll… I'll never forget this."
"Do you suppose the village will continue to bar its gates to refugees?" Frederick asks the prince.
"As long as they view the Risen as someone else's problem, then yes." Chrom replies.
"They claim to love peace… Yet the uneasy peace found behind a barricade is nothing I'd want. Peace begins when the fighting is over and the barricades come down. I pray they can see the truth of that before it's too late…"
Chapter 9:
After Ricken gets a Yukiwarashi, nicknamed Whittaker, as his partner, they continue journey to north. With Ricken and Whittaker join with the other Shepherds for Reina's training, they slowly getting the hang of Pokémon battles.
As they trudge through the snow-covered path, Frederick notices something and alerts Chrom. "Milord, look! Risen!"
Chrom frowns upon seeing where the knight is pointing to. "Ugh, and there's a village just ahead. Come on!"
At the village entrance, there are a few people knocking on the door, begging to be let in.
"Help! Heeelp! Open the gates! The dead walk the earth! If you've any kindness in you, open the gates! We're from Woodham, up the road! You KNOW us! Please, open the– Gods, no. …No! They're here! Aaaiiieeeeee!"
Nearby, the Shepherds see this as they hear one of the villagers from outside the gate screams.
"Hmm… The townsfolk of this village are renowned for their hospitality. How could they turn away refugees fearing for their lives?" Frederick questions.
"Let's worry about saving those lives first. We can ask questions later." Chrom says and turns to Robin. "Do you have some ideas, Robin?"
"Yes. Chrom, I want you to talk with the villagers out there and Frederick, go to the village to see what's wrong while we fight off the Risen."
"Got it. All right, you heard her! Let's go!" Chrom orders and they spread out on the battlefield.
As Frederick quickly rides to the village, he strikes every Risen in his path and reaches to the village.
"Excuse me! I am from the Shepherds! Open the gates!" Frederick shouts.
The gates open revealing an elderly man. "Is it really? Shepherds are always welcome here. Please take this with you." He gives Frederick a bow and arrows.
Frederick accepts the items and asks. "Why have you turn refugees away when they were here?"
"We're a peaceful town, sir. We have no weapons, nor any want for them. We survive by barring our gates to those who might bring us harm, friend or foe. Harsh as it may be, I can't have my people dying on account of other folks' problems…"
Frederick couldn't believe what the elder said. The fact that they knew there were refugees who wants to go into the village but they ignored them just to that they don't want to get involve with the war.
Meanwhile, Chrom and the other Shepherds fight off the Risen as Chrom goes to the one of the three refugees.
"Are you all right?!" Chrom asks.
"Oh, thank goodness you've come! Are you here to help us?"
"We'll hold them off! Run!"
"U-Understood! If we make it out alive, I'll repay you! I swear!"
Luke notices something at the corner of his eye and gets behind of the prince when a Risen is about to strike him from behind, but the Erllade blocks the attack and pushes the Risen.
"Thank you, Luke." Chrom says and Luke looks back, nods.
~Afterwards~
The Shepherds gathers back together after wiping the Risen away and now Chrom stands in front of the three refugees.
"I've not the words to thank you, nor the treasure to pay you, but… here. Take this." The three villagers each gives him three different items. "I didn't think people like you still existed. I'll… I'll never forget this."
"Do you suppose the village will continue to bar its gates to refugees?" Frederick asks the prince.
"As long as they view the Risen as someone else's problem, then yes." Chrom replies.
"They claim to love peace… Yet the uneasy peace found behind a barricade is nothing I'd want. Peace begins when the fighting is over and the barricades come down. I pray they can see the truth of that before it's too late…"
~A few days later~
After couple nights of camping in the wild and decides to make a trip back to Ylisstol. As they are preparing, Reina notices a merchant who is nearby them. When she and Chrom who also notices him, they hear the merchant muttering something.
"Oh, that poor girl."
"What's wrong?" Chrom asks.
"Oh! Sirs, please! Help her! A young merchant girl is being set upon by bandits!"
"We're on our way." Reina replies and Chrom turns back to the group.
"All of you! There's a change of plans! It seems there are still more bandits left over. Let's take care of them before we head back to Ylisstol!" He shouts.
When they reach to the area the merchant spoke of, they spot the girl from the other day a bit away from them, surrounded by bandits.
"Got a plan, Robin?" Chrom asks.
"Some of us has to get to the merchant!" The tactician says. "Sumia! You, Skye, Chrom and Luke got to her! Reina, back them up especially archers! The rest of us will take out as much as we can!"
"And what about the leader?" Reina asks.
"Whoever reaches him, try and stall him for as long as you can for reinforcements to assist you!"
Meanwhile…
"You! We have business, you and I, and I aim to settle the debt. Victor will be avenged today!" Says a very familiar bandit, Vincent, who is behind several other men to the merchant girl.
"Oh, dear. Have we met?" The merchant girl asks, tilting her head.
"Playing dumb won't save you, girly. The gold you net from the slavers will built Victor the finest grave in the land!"
"Careful love. Prices aren't the only thing we can cut in half." She replies with a smirk.
Back at the Shepherds
Following the female tactician orders, the group split and went to do their jobs.
With Reina shooting each archer who are aiming at Sumia, Éclair sends her Thunderbolt and Iron Tail at the enemy who approaches her from behind. When Reina lays her eyes on the merchant girl, she spots something small and white floating by her side.
"Isn't that…!" Reina mutters.
Chrom jumps off Sumia's pegasus, as did Luke, to attempt to assist the red-head merchant. To their surprise, they see how she is able to protect herself with a floating key ring.
"Hello there, handsome! Am I being rescued?" She asks.
"Well, that was the plan, but you seem to be holding up just fine." Chrom says looking at the pike of dead bodies around them. "Can you two still fight?"
"I could stand to open a few more rogues, sure. Or locks, for that matter."
"A thief, is it?"
"Locksmith, thank you very much! But yes. Doors or chest, I'll have it smiling wide in a trice. And it looks like there bandits have quite the hoard built up." She grins deviously, gesturing to the chests protected by some of the brigands.
"…Huh. Well then, I think we're in business."
The Shepherds are beating down all the brigands. As they fight, the merchant they were to save and her Pokémon partner take some opportunities to open up chests and collect whatever good were in them. The key ring-like creature in questions helps her to unlock a chest, revealing gold bars.
"Looks like we hit the jackpot today~" The female merchant sings to her Pokémon.
"Cleffy!" It nods in reply.
"And all that's left is…" They look over to the fuming Vincent, who is the only brigand left.
"You stand no chance! I'm a conqueror by name and conqueror by nature!" He claims.
"Oh. I'm so scared~" The girl sarcastically says in a cutesy tone and her expression suddenly goes devious. "Shall we strip him of his fortune, Lucy?"
Her Pokémon looks at the guy and nods at the question. "Cleffy." The next thing anyone know, Lucy's body glows light blue and emits silver colored sound waves that spread out to Vincent. The attack causes the bandit to cover his ears in great pain.
"A–H! What is that thing?!" He screams.
"A chance." The merchant leaps over her partner and goes to strike him. Vincent somehow blocks the attack and pushes her back. Lucy stops her attack as she sees her master being pushed over to her, moving away to avoid being landed on.
"That was a dirty trick." He accuses. "I'm going to do more than just killing you! I'll send you to oblivion! And your little creature too!"
"We'd rather not~" Lucy suddenly fires a light blue orb energy at the surprised Vincent, hitting him at the face.
"Ahh! Not my face! My beautiful face!"
"Time to end you!" The merchant girl leaps into the air and brings her sword down. Her Pokémon partner moves away at the last second, having Vincent take the full force of the attack.
"I… I see your face, Victor… No… No, wait… That's me…" Vincent breathes his last breath.
After the battle, the Shepherds regroup with the merchant girl and Lucy.
"Thanks for your help. The name's Anna. Some folks like to call me the Secret Seller. And this cute, little one is Lucy." She introduces.
"Cleffy!" Lucy greets.
Reina takes out her Zukan and points it at the Pokémon.
"Cleffy, the Key Ring Pokémon. Cleffy loves to collect keys and will confront opponents with a fierce jingle of their collection."
"Yes, I remember you." Chrom says.
"But your Cleffy on the other hand…"
Anna pause for the moment and looks at the prince carefully. "Oh? …Mmm, I'm afraid I'm drawing a blank.
"Huh? Oh, then I must be… I'm sorry. I thought you…" Chrom apologizes but stops at mid-sentence. "Wait, what am I saying? I KNOW we help you. I'm sure of it!"
Anna's eyes sparkle with realization. "Oh! Hee hee! You must have met one of my sisters."
"Sisters? Gods, you look identical."
"Yes, there's a strong family resemblance. Oh, and we're all traveling merchants." Anna adds.
Chrom looks at her, a bit dumfounded by the information. "…With the same name?"
"Yes, actually. That's part of the secret!" Anna puffs her chest out as if proud that she and her sisters are using the same name.
"Cleffy!" Lucy also does the same action, seemingly just as proud.
"Ahaha… I should've known…" Reina says, smiling nervously.
"What do you mean?" Chrom asks.
"Let's just say there are some people back in mine and Reina's world who are the same way…" Meena replies.
"Oooh~ Tell me more." Anna says with interest.
"Your family gathering must be chaotic." Chrom points out.
"True, but aren't everyone's? Still, I can't just send you on your way of helping TWO of us. So let me come along and aid you in return. I can be quite useful. You'll never make a loss with me in tow–I guarantee it!" Lucy also agrees.
"You going to need all the help you can get, Chrom." Reina points out.
"I suppose so." Chrom says with sweatdrop at the fact that both of them are going to be the new recruits.
"Now since that settles it, let's go back to Ylisstol!" Reina shouts and everyone happily agrees to the idea and starts to return back to Ylisstol.