(Disclaimer:I'm still poor so I don't own any of these properties no matter how much I want to, MH is Capcom's and FE is Nintendo's)
Dialogue key
"Blast off" normal speaking
'Blast off' though
"Blast off" Monster speaking/emphasise
[Blast off] Telepathic dialogue
[Drago's POV]
It has been almost a week since my fight with Panne, while it took a bit longer than I expected, my wounds managed to heal and I was relieved to hear that Robin and Chrom didn't hold us accountable...much. We still got told off by Frederick the first moment I was back in working condition and we were now on cleaning duty for the next two weeks, and if you wanna ask me what I would pick between fighting the giant killer rabbit that was hungry for my blood and cleaning the barracks….I'm picking the rabbit.
"I swear to God...having the giant rabbit bite me on the throat was better than being forced to Frederick's standards, I mean, who picks up rocks off the road for God sake!" I exclaim walking alongside Robin who chuckles a bit at that. "Yeah he sometimes can be strict, just be glad that he took it easy on you" he tells me making me pale.
"That...that was going easy on me?" I mutter in horror. If making me pick up rocks off the road, Cleaning the barrack with a rag, and then training with him was going easy . ..I dread seeing him serious.
"Well considering you could still walk and breath by the end of the day says enough that he was going easy" Robin says breaking me out my train of thought sighing.
"Never again…" I groan as Robin smiles sympathetically and pats my back.
"You'll get used to it," he tells me...though for some reason I felt it wasn't so much of a reassurance and more like advice to stay alive.
"If you say so...so what got you out your cave? I haven't seen you that much since I got out the infirmary" I ask him making him chuckle sheepishly.
"Yeah...I've been told that I work too much sometimes" he admits before shaking his head "I've been looking at some reports with Chrom. Apparently the nation of Valm has been sending a lot of ships out lately, so I got curious and started looking into it. sadly there's only so much info to be found with only ship reports," he explains making me go wide eyed at the name Valm.
If what Robin says is true then the Valmese invasion is approaching sooner rather than later...if I make some impact in this world I may have to act now if possible, however, first things first, I need to get this moving to where I want...let's hope my non existent manipulation skills work...against a master tactician...whose job is to pick things up...I'm sure it will turn out fiiiine.
"Hey Robin...what do you know about Valm? Only thing I know of it is that it's a country...territory...thing," I say not really remembering if country was even a term here.
"Well...Valm is a continent in the west of Ylisse, apart from some rumors from some people that were there once or twice there isn't much information regarding it, why the question?" he asks me.
"W-well, it's just that you mentioned that you were working a lot looking into it so curiosity got the best of me you know?" I respond sheepishly while trying to deviate from my original intent, as for Robin he didn't look entirely convinced but didn't press on the subject thankfully.
"If you say so, by the way have you gotten used to this place yet?" he asks changing topics and catching me a bit off guard…
If I have to be honest…"Barely...things are so...different from where I come from...hell, if it wasn't for the fact that Chrom is so lax about being a royal I would have probably gotten killed ages ago," I explain. I wasn't lying when I said this, the more I spend here, the more I miss everything back home, guess it's true what they about being away from home. "I...I don't know if they've even noticed that I left," I mutter thinking out loud before feeling a hand on my shoulder.
"We promised you right? We'll find a way to get you back home" Robin says in a reassuring tone making my eyes widen for a moment before I look down "And if there isn't a way?" I asks a bit scared of the prospect of never being able to return.
"Then I hope that this place can become a home to you" he answers smiling making me visibly relax a bit and smile back.
However somewhere deep down...I felt conflicted at the idea of that happening.
(-Line break-)
I was now in the courtyard with Frederick as he drilled me on how to fight with weapons so I wouldn't have to resort to always using the Monsterstone, and I've been so kindly shown via having my ass slammed to the ground numerous times that…
"You are barely an amateur at this, if I had to be kind, hand to hand is your best area, and even then you falter a lot" the blue knight says with his usual serious expression that to this say makes me wonder if he's finding me pathetic or if he is actually trying to help me.
"I... think I got the message after the last 6 times you've disarmed me…" I grumble as I stand back up wincing from the pain and making him shake his head.
"Well clearly not enough if you can still talk like that, that means that you can still take another few rounds" he tells me in a stern voice that made me pale because of the thought of having another round with this unrelenting beast.
"Please Frederick, have mercy!" I says almost begging him...with him answering with a cheerful smile that sent shivers down my spine "Don't be silly, I am having taking it easy, after all…" he starts with the next 6 words making me WISH that Panne's bite was stronger, that the bandits had aimed better that time, or that I had just said no to this…
"This is just the warm up" is what he said before the torture resumed….thought I could swear that I'm hearing the Zinogre laughing his ass off.
(Hours later)
The laughter of the mess hall filled my ears as I saw the Shepherds eating and chatting with each other...well...most of them were…
"Seriously...is this normal?" I says a bit baffled staring at Tharja hiding behind a pillar with what I swore was a dark aura muttering to herself.
"Oh yeah, definitely, Tharja being creepy is as normal as water being wet here" Nowi says sitting beside me giggling at her own joke "Don't mind her though, she may be….scary when she goes all "I'll curse you for looking at me" and all" she tells me doing a very bad impression of her that makes it hard for me and some of the ones watching her to not laugh "But she's very nice on the inside" she reassured me with a big smile that honestly looked right at home with her childish looks...hard to remember that she's 2000 years old or something.
"If you say so, doesn't make it less creepy though…" I say scratching my cheek making her giggle with an amused smile, "So, any progress in your awesome transformation? Can you do more stuff? Can you turn into a dragon?" she asks a bit excited making me sweatdrop.
"Sorry, still can't, though I still don't get why you like it so much, you can turn into a giant dragon, I only get more hairy and have a worse temper" I joke making her pout
"Well~When you transform you can just say you are in a costume, when I transform people start screaming 'Look at the big dragon! Wow! So scary!'" she says mimicking a scared villager "Then they meet the person who turns into the dragon and they go from scared to confused" Stalh commented from the table beside us...with good amount of plates beside him.
"What's that supposed to mean!?" Nowi yells annoyed at him before starting to go off ranting which I thankfully was able to tune off and lose myself in my own thoughts.
'Is this...seriously ok? The war with Valm draws near...and I can't tell Robin to…' my eyes widen in realization at something 'That's it! I may not be able to tell him that Valm is gonna invade...but I can tell him about Walhart and help reinforce the defenses!' I take a deep breath to calm himself at that.
'Alright Drago...calm down...you need to play this off, maybe go out of town, the ports, spends some days at a bar or something, make it seem like you are gathering info...which you technically are but still...if any part of this fails it could mean losing the confidence I've managed to build in this place, but...if this succeeds...maybe I could…' I was broken from my train of thought by the sound of someone yelling my name.
"-agro! Hey! Earth to Drago!" Nowi yelled beside him shaking me to try to get my attention...though shaking was putting it lightly as she was close to practically slamming me on the table for how much she was pushing and pulling me.
"W-what? Sorry Nowi, now please stop!" I tell her almost begging her now feeling the headache I was miraculously ignoring.
After few more shakes she thankfully stops though the headache regretfully didn't, seriously, dragon or not, a girl her size should not have this much strength!
I hear laughter from some of the other members making me scratch my cheek sheepishly and look at Nowi "What happened?" I asks her curious.
"Well...you suddenly made a weird face and started to look like Robin when he's trying to plan a whole battle plan, what's wrong?" she says sounding a bit more serious than her usual childish self which made me feel bad because…
"It's nothing, just trying to figure out some things about my powers, don't worry" I lied to her before standing up "I need some air...see you later" I leave the room making some people glance at me before returning to their thing, and leaving a not fully convinced Nowi.
(-Line Break-)
I walked to the courtyard of the castle tightening my fists "Dammit…" I mumble under my breath.
[What? You gonna cry now or something?] I heard the Zinogre say on my head 'Great...what do you want…' I mentally ask not really in the mood for his shit.
[Simple, I wanna know why you are angry, you are doing all this cause you wanna protect them right? That's what you are telling yourself at the very least] He says sounding geniously curious which only made me feel more frustrated.
'Shut up...I don't wanna have to lie to them...but I can't come with the full info, they wouldn't believe it, and if they did, God know what would happen...only thing I can do is make sure the collateral remains on the lower side` I mentally...before noticing that I was right in front of Robin's door.
"Huh?" I mumble surprised as I stare at the door.
[Guess part of you wanted to come clean...Oh well...that's your own problem…] He says before finally staying silent again.
"Dammit…" I growl before hearing footsteps behind me and turning around to see Chrom looking at me confused.
"Drago? What are you doing here?" he asks me curious as he walks up to me.
"Erm...well...I emm..guess I just stumbled here while I was lost in my train of thought" I respond laughing sheepishly.
"If you say so…" he says before shaking his head "So...if I may ask, how have you been? I know that all this mustn't be easy for you" he asks me with his usual smile; God dammit this smile…
"Don't worry about me" I try to reassure him "I did say that I was gonna help you guys right?" I remind him doing my best to smile.
He chuckles as a response "Yeah, you did, I'm actually glad that you are getting used to things here, specially with how your first day went" he says amused making me wince and hold my shoulder on instinct.
"Don't remind me...Panne bites way too hard for a bunny…" I shivers at that before sighing "At least that got resolved...could do without her and Frederick trying to break my soul with training" I grumble making him laugh.
"You get used to things like that, don't worry" he reassures me patting my shoulder as he approaches the door...before I decide to take a bullet.
"Hey Chrom...I've heard some rumors lately from the town…" I start not looking at him as he glances at me "And...I'm not saying they are true but...I think something is going on in Valm…" I tell him.
He frowns a bit at that "You shouldn't believe all rumors, though, I'll be sure to keep an eye on things if it gives you peace of mind" he tells me making me smile a bit.
"Thank you Chrom…" I tell him "I'll see you later…" I says before walking away as he goes inside Robin's room.
"Time is running out…" I mumbles once out of earshot before my eyes widen realizing something making me grit my teeth "Why didn't I realize this sooner…"
For no matter how well planned I made this…
For no matter how well I manipulated any of this people….
The truth of the matter still remained…
"I'll have to fight this war…" I mumble having to use a wall as a support "I'll have to kill more people…" I say horrified…
And that, is the one thing that I will never be able to escape as long as I help them…
(Chapter End)
Hi guys Dragon-XZero here….
Yep! I'm not dead! Thank God.
Honestly I have no real excuse here apart from laziness and writer's block, but now I'm back and I can FINALLY start the good stuff.
You heard it people, next chapter we are going to war, now hopefully Drago's sanity won't break from this.
Also regarding a...trio of reviews from guest accounts.
They are all the same guy, and for you mister troll I only have this to say.
Next time you send an insult in Spanish, how about you make sure it wasn't originally mine, and that it wasn't a response to another insult of yours.
Also they aren't Gadget The Critic, the actual person is aware of your shit, and has warned others.
So for any good writers, look out for this idiot.
That's it for today, hopefully next chapter won't take a half a year to come out!
[Dragon-XZero sign out]