Welp. Don't say I didn't warn you all. I've had a busy and often rather stressful past few months, but never the less I apologize deeply for getting a chapter this early in the fic out so long after the others.

Nevertheless, here it finally is, and with some silly bonuses to hopefully make up for the wait:

Chapter 3: Meet and Greet

On the outskirts of Yilissitol, the four disguised Legendaries followed the four members of the Shepherds they had met into a decently sized set of barracks.

~So, there are more of them than these four?~ said Dialga.

~A bunch, and we still have to make sure we make a good impression on them too before we're fully clear,~ said Palkia.

~I promise Wuzzles won't eat anyone now he's gotten his snack,~ said Giratina.

The bear in question roared.

Hoopa winced and edged backwards, almost colliding with Lissa. ~I'd still keep a tight leash on that thing.~

Thankfully, Wuzzles was stowed away in a stable before the four of them were led inside; upon reaching the interior they discovered they indeed had an ensemble before them. People of various shapes and sizes, all performing various tasks like polishing weapons and armor and sorting spellbooks, not in immediate rush for war, but constant readiness for trouble.

Palkia was barely able to contain another fangirl squeal until she unleashed it upon her companions telepathically, much to their annoyance.

~Aaaaaaaa! They're all here! Well, most of them - a few don't show up until later, but still, this is so exciting!~

~So do we introduce ourselves or wha-~ Hoopa started to say.

~I've got that,~ said Palkia. ~Kinda.~

She scooched over to Robin and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Er, your name is Robin, yes?"

Robin turned to her and nodded. "Yes it is!"

"Um, could you introduce us to everybody? There's a lot."

"Hmmm... Alright. But Chrom should probably start that off."

Chrom nodded and turned to the busy Shepherds.

"Everybody! We have some new recruits!"

The others all raised their heads and looked toward Chrom as he gestured to the disguised Legendaries in turn.

"These are Quentin, Valentia, Howard, and Bartimaeus of Cincinnati! They're looking forward to meeting you all!"

The other Shepherds stared and muttered amidst each other quizzically.

~I don't believe they like us...~ said Dialga.

~We oughta fix that,~ said Giratina.

~Easy guys, we haven't made the rounds yet...~ said Palkia.

The four were led over by Chrom over to a woman in a witch-like outfit.

"This here is Miriel, one of our mages..."

Miriel gazed the new arrivals up and down analytically.

"You Cincinnatians will be useful for cultural research at the very least..."

They moved over to what appeared to be a demure blonde woman in priestess gear.

"And this is Libra, another healer..."

Giratina wiggled his eyebrows. "Hey gorgeo-"

"I'm a man," said Libra, immediately cutting Giratina off.

"Oh," said Giratina. ~Right.~

He looked at Libra from another angle. "...Still pretty ho-"

"Gi- Er, Howard, what did I tell you?" said Palkia.

Giratina immediately fell silent. Libra simply raised an eyebrow in response. Awkwardly, Chrom shuffled over to a teenage boy in villager clothes and a pot on his head.

"Er, and this is Donnel!"

Donnel looked at the group nervously. "My folks always warned me about strange people like these..."

Palkia smiled. "Don't worry, Donnel! You've got nothing to fea-"

She noticed a presence approaching her.

"Bonjour, madamosel-"

Without another word she backhanded the offending blue-haired man in aristocratic clothing, knocking him to the floor.

Chrom frowned. "Virion, what did I tell you?"

Virion groaned. "In my defense... I did not expect her to react so strongly..."

Robin, having been watching the whole affair nervously, finally chipped in. "Er, that's Virion, our main archer. He's... working on his manners."

~I always liked that guy's style,~ said Giratina.

~That's because you're not too far off.~ said Palkia.

~Hopefully my species won't attract much undue attention,~ said Dialga.

He then realized he was being closely scrutinized by a female of what appeared to be the same lapine kind of person he was. ~...And you know what they say about tempting fate.~

"Who are you?" the vaguely rabbit-like woman asked him. "How are you even here?"

"Oh, that's Panne," said Robin. "You'd think she'd be more pleased to see you, her species is... nearly extinct...

"Almost completely extinct, save for me. And I'm not sure to get my hopes up convincing myself this... Quentin is truly another survivor."

"It's a long story; fittingly it also involves temporal shenanigans," said Dialga.

Panne's nose twitched. "I have sharp ears, like yours. I still know the voice of someone who's bending the truth."

"Um..." said Robin. "Alright, alright! We'll do the rest of the introductions later! Let's get you all to your rooms, Chrom, Lissa, Frederick, you take Quentin, Howard and Bartimaeus, respectively, I'll take Valentina, keep an an eye on them..."

Frederick and Lissa grumbled and Chrom looked between everyone with concern as the disguised Legendaries were led off; however, once everyone else was out of eyeshot Giratina opened a pocket dimension, jumped inside, closed it, then created another opening he pulled Hoopa into before closing it again.

{Hey!} said Hoopa after he and Giratina had re-attained their natural forms. {What are you doing?!}

Giratina shook his head. {Face it Hoops, these guys don't like us. Not even the guys we impressed with sis' plan are Pecha-y with us anymore. We gotta show 'em our stuff again.}

Hoopa put his mitt-hands on his hips. {Well why'd you bring just me along for that?}

First. You're the only one who never pissed anyone off, dude.

Hoopa blinked and grinned. {...Wait, really? For that long? That's a new record!}

Giratina nodded. {Second. You got a ukulele in your Stash?}

Hoopa nodded back. {Several. Why?}

Giratina smirked. {My plan involves getting musical. Among other things.}

Hoopa grimaced. {Please tell me the whole thing so I know it isn't more Bunnelby-brained than that Panne lady.}

Palkia followed Robin into the deeper parts of the barracks.

It's just a setback, she thought. We'll win them over eventually, just...

Suddenly, not looking where she was going, she tripped and gave a yell as she landed on her back. Feeling something digging into her leg, she looked and saw it had been entangled in rusty chains.

And that was when memories of what had been the root reason for this "vacation" rushed to her mind.

The Red Chain.

It bound them both, digging into their otherwise sturdy bodies with crimson links all over, each crimson link resembling the wheel on Arceus' back, the spines delving into their skin, causing immense agony.

She wanted to reach out to Dialga, help him, but her will was not her own. She, the deity of space, was bound by these puppet string chains to the mortal human man standing before her, as was her brother.

Helpless, she watched as the man started to use their power to create a new universe, one built in his image, to his whims. She tried to roar in agony, but her actions, and Dialga's, were not her own. It was over.

Untill a shadow pooled and someone familiar lunged from it.

{DIRTY SIBLING TORTURER}

Palkia screamed, and desperately tried to shake the chains off.

"Valentia!" said Robin. "Here, I'll get those off!"

He quickly untangled her leg from the chains, Palkia immediately getting to her feet and shuddering.

"Th-Thank you... It's just that..."

Robin frowned. "Were you someone's slave? A prisoner? What happened?"

Palkia paused a long while before replying.

"I... I was enslaved by someone, yes... As was Quentin... Howard saved us..."

Robin rubbed his chin. "No wonder you all have been acting fidgety..."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Well, please, don't worry. You'll be safe with us. I certainly have been, as have many others."

Palkia paused again, then nodded. "Thank you..."

Robin started heading off to get her to a room. Palkia gazed not with fangirlish glee but more subdued respect after.

He really is a good person to his good troops... Not just that, a friend...

When she attempted to follow, however, the both of them heard raucous cheering from the mess hall.

The Sheperds had gathered here to get ready for dinner.

"Will those new guys be showing up?" said Donnel.

"I certainly hope not, " said Miriel. "They don't seem too astute."

"Perhaps we can get Kellam to-" Virion started to say.

He looked around. "Where is he any-"

He did a double take and sighed. "He's right behind me, I bet."

"Actually," said Libra, "he's atop your shoulders."

Virion immediately noticed a thickly built, sturdily armored man right there and collapsed from the weight.

"Sorry," said Kellam, "Those new guys had me jumpy."

"You're forgiven," said Virion with a groan.

"Say, ain't that two of them over there?" said Donnel.

Everyone looked to see a human Giratina sitting at the head of the table with a ukelele and wearing a sombrero, a human Hoopa and Wuzzles the bear on either side of him.

"Hello, ladies and gents! Howard, Bartimaeus, and Wuzzles here, with a song and one hell of a treat!"

Giratina started playing the ukelele with surprising proficiency.

So one day I felt my job was a bore,

And headed to the messed-up land of Orre,

The populace was in absolute despair,

I had to help or risk being square

"We need food!" they all haplessly cried,

So I was then a total bro and complied

I whipped them all up one hell of a dish,

One sure to more than grant such a wish

They loved them and called them food of the gods

I decided to call them burritos just 'cause.

"Sir, in order to back up your claims you ought to show us these "burritos" yourself," said Miriel.

"Just a minute, lady!" said Hoopa. "Several orders, coming right up!"

He pulled out some ingredients from one of his hoops that Giratina started preparing while continuing the song.

First the tortilla, soft and tender and flat

Your stale crunchy loaves just can't top that

Get some rice, stuff it together nice and tight

Then you pile it with beans and meats just right

Stuff it with corn, stuff it with cheese,

Stuff it with anything you damn well please,

Wrap it all together, and day or night

You'll find that this little bundle's a delight.

Giratina made several burritos and handed them out with Hoopa and Wuzzles' help to the Sheperds, who took large bites out of the ones they received.

"Hmm... This is actually quite appetizing." said Libra.

"Golly, this almost beats my ma's cooking!" said Donnel.

"This is a meal I can notice!" said Kellam.

"This burrito is magnifique!" said Virion.

"Preach it, Kalosian dude! You all rock!" said Giratina.

Virion blinked. "Kalosian?"

He is ignored as Giratina was raised on a platform with lights, strumming his ukelele like an electric guitar with Hoopa and Wuzzles in burrito suits as backup dancers.

Burritos can cure any disease,

And smite evil with the greatest of ease!

Your old medieval delicacies are so yesterday,

Especially if you've got guacamol-ay!

So go ahead and take a seat-o

And enjoy your delicious, nutritious burrito!

The Sheperds cheered as Hoopa and Wuzzles passed them all an extra round of burritos; soon after, Robin, Palkia, Dialga, Chrom, Fredrick, and Lissa rushed in on the scene.

"What in the name of the gods...?" said Fredrick.

"I'm not sure if this is a better or worse mess!" said Lissa.

"Everyone seems happy at least..." said Chrom.

Two people emerged from the crowd holding burritos, a short, crimson-haired woman in similarly red armor, and a taller, green-haired young man in matching green armor.

"These burritos are gonna be great for meals!" said the green-haired man. "I wonder if these Cincinnatians know any other recipes..."

"We do," said Dialga flatly.

"Then you guys are keepers!" said the crimson-haired woman.

Chrom turned to Dialga and Palkia, shrugged, and smiled sheepishly. "Well then. Welcome aboard for real."

Robin smiled reassuringly and extended a hand toward Palkia. "Glad to have you."

Palkia smiled back and shook Robin's hand...

...Only to feel a distinct, disturbing feeling of corruption seep up her arm. She resisted the urge to shudder and broke the handshake with Robin as naturally as she could, double-checking to see- yes, it was that hand.

She shook her head, gave a nervous smile, and looked on at the proceedings.

She'd played this game. Literally. She knew the Sheperds - especially Robin, he was strong - would clean up that particular problem by themselves.

And there you have it! Again, I deeply apologize for the wait, and while making guarantees tends to end badly for me for things like this, I fully intend for Chapter 4 to come out in a more timely fashion! In the meantime, hope everyone reading enjoyed this installment,