I wake up to the sun streaming into the room. I squint my eyes and look around, wait, this isn't the room I fell asleep in. "This is my room… in Shirasagi!" How long was I out? Why is my memory so fuzzy?
"Yaaay! She's awake!" That's… Elise! I see my little sister putting on her clothes, "How'd you sleep, Bed Bundler?"
'I thought it was Cot Cuddler…' But now that I think about it, we did agree on some alternate phrases, depending on where we slept… "Well rested," I nod, "You are the best snuggler."
She winks, "You bet!" She giggles, "Are you ready for today?"
"Um, what is special about today?"
She gasps, "Oh, whoops. I forgot to tell you last night. Ooo, it can be kept as a surprise, then! Come on, get dressed."
I shrug and get out of bed, my skin feels extra smooth today, I take a moment to check myself out in the mirror. Slightly tanned skin, silky smooth from head to toe. Deep purple hair that drops all the way to my waist, 'I always did like it long.' My eyes has the same dark purple color as my hair, 'Lovely, just like Lavender… my favorite scent.' I smile at my reflection, sure my breasts and rear are a bit on the small side, but I am confident about everything else. I do have my mother's smile, after all. "What should I wear for this 'special day', sis?"
"This!" I turn and she is holding up a simple red and black kimono, the colors are a mix of Nohr and Hoshido.
"It's beautiful." She nods and hands it to me, to which I eagerly put it on. "Lead on, little princess." I smile and she takes me by the hand, warmth feeling me immediately. I glance at our wedding rings, at first I thought it was weird, bedding the woman I have known as my sister for seventeen years, but after she told me we aren't related, my feelings for her just grew out of control… thankfully she felt the same way, it is why she told me in the first place. "I love you, Elise." I blurt out with an intense flush.
She giggles and gives me her wonderful smile, "I love you too, Yasei." We come together for a quick kiss and my heart leaps. We break the kiss, 'too soon' , and she starts humming a tune, then leads me to a door.
"The throne room?" I ask.
"Yup!" She opens the door and I see everyone there. Nohrians and Hoshidans, Wolfskin and Kitsunes, all conversing with each other without a care in the world. "She's here, everyone!" They all turn towards me with smiles on their faces.
On the far end, next to the throne, stood my big brothers Xander and Ryoma, I gulp, the two never really saw eye-to-eye, considering Nohr and Hoshido have been at war for so long. But there is no tension in the air, in fact, there is a large pile of weapons in the center, and circling the pile are the Divine Weapons. "Care to remind me of all the Divine Weapons, sis? It's been a while." I sheepishly request.
She giggles, "Of course!" She takes me over to the pile, "There's Xander's, Siegfried." She points at a blade with a a red-black mist surrounding it. "That's Ryoma's, Raijinto." A katana wreathed in lightning stands beside it, "Leo's, Brynhildr." A dark green tome with a tree in the middle floats in the air. "Takumi's, Fujin Yumi." A bow with a glowing teal string. "Camilla's… uh, Camilla's Axe." She giggles. It is a dark-purple and black battle-axe.
"She never did give it a proper name, did she?" I giggle with her.
"She isn't the only one, sis. Because that is Hinoka's… Hinoka's Spear." Another wave of giggles follow. It is a red-hafted spear with a shiny white-metal tip.
"That's mine! Moonlight!" She exclaims at the near-black tome with a yellow circle in the middle. "Sakura's, Spellbane Yumi." A glowing yellow bow. "Azura's, Waveseeker." A light-blue staff with a sort of watery appearance. "Aaaand, last but not least." She points at an empty spot, in the center of it all, "Is for yours! Yato. Because you are the one who connects everyone together!"
"So I go ahead and put it there?" She nods, "Alright." I unsheathe Yato from its masterfully crafted sheathe… the sword that got me through so many tough times. And I plunged it in the center.
"And with that… let there be an eternal peace between our nations." Ryoma announces.
"Between Nohr and Hoshido!" Xander agrees. My heart swells with pure happiness, the thing that I have been craving for so long is achieved.
The room cheers and all of my siblings bring me into one huge hug. "I love you all so much!" I start crying tears of joy, "I am so happy."
One by one, they part, "And this is all thanks to you, my… our dear Yasei." Camilla says.
"Th-the fighting h-has finally s-stopped. We c-can never th-thank you enough, b-big sister." Sakura is next.
"You have impressed me, sister. And we all know that is not easy to do." Takumi nods.
"I agree, who would have thought, that all it took for peace, is one very dedicated person that I am honored to call my little sister." Leo smiles.
"I trained all my life so I could save you," Hinoka starts, "But it turns out you are the one who saved all of us."
"You are truly a woman of legend, sister." Xander compliments.
"And one who won't ever be forgotten." Ryoma adds.
"And I have the best wife/sister/cot cuddling/bed bundler ever!" Elise cheers, then kisses me right in front of everyone.
"Everyone will always ever be thankful for your efforts, Yasei." Azura states.
A very small strand of unease hits me, then leaves just as quick. "I don't suppose there is some food? I'm hungry!" I squeak out. "I haven't even had breakfast yet."
"The feast is ready, Lady Yasei." Jakob approaches me and bows.
"A truly legendary meal awaits." Flora enters the conversation.
"And… and I didn't spill or burn, or break… or anything bad this time!" Felicia cheers. "The gods themselves are smiling on us this day!"
Another small thing hits me '...wake…' it is the tiniest of whispers, but I push it away. "Then what are we waiting for?" My stomach agrees and we all walk towards the dining hall, where… by the gods, what isn't here? Meats, fruit, fish, pasta, every food I have ever seen, and many I haven't, line the sides of this room. Every conceivable drink takes up the remaining space on the sides of the room.
A lone figure in heavy armor sits in a chair, a near mountain of plates already by her side. "Effie!" Elise scolds, "You couldn't wait a few more minutes?"
She flushes red, "Sorry, my liege. I was wasting away in there." A collection of laughs follow.
"A flower for you, my forbidden beauty." I hear Niles say to Nyx. Then he whispers something into her ear and she just starts beaming red.
"This has to be the most heroic display of peace I have ever seen!" Arthur says… then trips, the plate of food he is carrying flies across the room and somehow lands perfectly fine in front of Effie. "...I meant to do that." The Knight digs in without a second thought.
"I can no longer resist the call of your heart, my prophesied damsel of darkness!" Odin is talking to… Peri? Huh, I never imagined those two together. "Even the void that binds me from my mortal emotions cannot compare to the love that draws me to you!"
'...dead, fake…' The whisper unnerves me. This is real, peace has been achieved. The proof is right here before me.
"Yo, Keaton!" Kaden shouts, "You have got to try this bear meat out!"
"Only if you taste the venison!" Keaton shouts back. '...show of strength…' For a split second, Kaden is bloodied before turning back to normal.
"Father! Mother and I made this, just for you!" Caeldori jumps into Subaki's arms, then places a flower crown on his head.
"Beautiful perfection." He says, "Just like my sweet Caeldori and lovely Reina." '...Caeldori! You'll pay for that!...'
"Hey sis, I brought this bowl of fruit for you, it has extra pineapples, just how you like it." Hinoka offers me the bowl and I accept it… before dropping it as the Pegasus Knight turns broken and bloody, her mount lying on the ground like a rug. The scene is gone as fast as it shows and tears start forming. '...break…'
"Love, are you okay?" Elise touches my forehead, "Gods, you're burning up! Hold still, I will get my staff."
"Perhaps she has just soaked in a bit too much of the natural energies…" Azama walks in with a hole in his chest. "There is the concept of too much of a good thing, after all." I stagger back.
"I'm sure she is just overwhelmed with the positivity of it all…" Setsuna lazily comments, a gash across her neck.
"Sister, you are looking pretty bad." Xander comments. Behind him lies Keaton, a Beast Killer rammed through his chest.
A phoenix crashes through the roof and no one bats an eye at it, '...shatter…'
"Perhaps some ice magic will help you out?" Flora has this deep gash across her stomach, some of her organs are falling out. 'Gods, I feel sick.'
"Maybe she would like to see me form snowflakes?" Felicia has part of her upper half cleaved by an axe… Camilla's axe, "You always loved it when I do that."
"Sister?" I can't even tell who it is.
"Sister?" Their voices are all blending together.
"Sister?" 'Make it stop!'
I clutch my head and back away, "Stop, please!" I start crying.
"...paralyze…" Several of my family members drop, and Kaden is next to them, midsection ripped out, his neck torn open. "The better the kill, the more fertile the female is."
The phoenix from earlier shifts and takes the form of… well, Phoenix. But… her eyes are glowing red 'Like how Nyx's flashed red' , as are the eyes stitched onto her cloak, her right hand does not have the glove on and this dimly glowing purple brand is on the back of her hand. "They despise you, Yasei." She says, her voice is deeper than I remember, and it echoes off of the walls, more people start dropping dead. "They are scared of you, the dragon." She walks towards me and I back up. A deep rumble echoes through the room and the area starts to shake.
I shake my head, "They just need to see how happy I am, then it will stop."
She laughs, empty and cruel, "Oh, I am aware of how happy you are. Your mate and Elise are the only ones you can trust." As if saying there names summon them, Elise and Keaton walk up, both of them are perfectly healthy. "Embrace your dragon, Yasei." She points towards my mate, "Or he will suffer that fate." The wall behind the throne starts to break apart and I can see three pairs of red eyes staring in.
I shiver as I picture him being ran through with that Beast Killer, "Are you threa…"
She shakes her head, "No, I am merely warning you…" She pauses, "I know who will run him through with that Beast Killer. Would you like to know?"
"This is a dream, it won't happen." 'Gods, it looks so real. Especially those eyes staring into the room.' The walls crack once more and a black-scaled head shows.
She tilts her head, "A dream? Or a vision? How are we holding a conversation right now? You haven't even seen several of these people yet, how do you know them now?" As if for emphasis, she magically grips an armored woman, who has light blue hair with pink tips. "What is her name?"
"Peri, Xander's retainer. I-... met her in Cheve!" 'No, I didn't. I just saw her in the battle, no one said her name' "Leave me alone!"
The woman drops and she walks closer, a predatory swing to her steps. My body stops and refuses to listen as she inches closer. "Your dragon is missing a lot of… 'oomph'." Her eyes land on my Dragonstone. "I could help you with that, too." Her right hand makes her way towards me and I freeze in fear, "I just want a few things in return."
Her hand starts pulsing this strange heat and my knees buckle, "Stop, haah…" My voice comes out heated, breathing is short again.
"Oh dear, I seemed to have got you going, didn't I?" She smiles and notions the only other two living people closer. "Anyway, I should get going. Just think on the offer, okay?" She lets out a small 'oh' and a wicked grin crosses her face, "Well, since I am a woman…" She forcefully pulls me into a kiss. Her very breath feels wrong, but my human side is seemingly being pushed away by her and I lean into it. "My little dragon." Her breathing is quick and her eyes flutter, 'mate, claim .' She takes a step back and I lunge, pinning her to the ground and I claim her lips, she is giggling the whole way.
"That's right, let your dragon take control." Her voice somehow echoes in my head. My hands all but rip her robe off, yet she seems to not be bothered… she is actually inviting me, with the way she relaxes and spreads herself. "I'll give you anything if you just follow my orders." I start to pant. 'Anything?' It sounds too good to be true. 'Take, control.' The dragon roars again and I force myself on her, my armor rubs on her skin and she just lies there and smiles. I hastily bring my fingers to her core and...
She vanishes and I am left with Keaton, Elise, and a scene of death with a sea of corpses. 'Ryoma wants me confined, Takumi wants me dead, Hinoka is dead, Sakura fears me, Xander wants Keaton dead, Leo wants Keaton to be kept away from me, Camilla wants me to return to how I was… Elise wants me how I am, as does Keaton. Jakob will follow me everywhere.' I give in to the negative thoughts, "They… don't want me…" I fall to the blood-soaked floor and start crying, "Elise… Keaton… Jakob. That's it, in this entire world that is all I have." Elise hugs me, while Keaton simply stands beside me. "Ah ah ah, I want you to, my little dragon." I nod, "Elise, Keaton, Jakob… and Phoenix."
I feel an incredible pressure on my side, I scream and the what is it…? Dream? Nightmare? Vision? Whatever it is, it ends.
"Anything you want… all you have to do is obey." Phoenix's voice comes through again, 'Maybe I should…'