The World of Dragons

by Galliar

Five years ago, the worlds were brought together as one. Kingdoms were remade, the seas grew larger, and the world became more diverse than anyone could comprehend. Some worlds were lost, and only their inhabitants remained. Dreamland is one such lost world, but its King and its greatest Knight refuse to stop looking.

9. Unfounded Revenge

It's been two months to the day since I posted chapter 8. I'd apologize, but that would feel disingenuous. Like I'd be able to fix my poor posting schedule, beyond a shadow of doubt. I'd rather not lead you guys on like that, so I'm going to settle with 'I hope I do better next time.' I would like to get a few characters off of Ylisse to see the Allied Kingdoms before this time next year.

Before adding any notes, this chapter was a little over 19,000 words long. Let's see if I can break 20,000 at the bottom.

Addendum: I broke 21,000. I'm going quit on trying to limit how long these chapters get, because I clearly have no self-control. Hope you guys have a few hours for this.

---

Chapter 9: Unfounded Revenge

'Keep an eye on Dedede. Report back to me if he starts any trouble, unless you can stop it. Can you do that?'

Popo had agreed adamantly, with plenty of head nodding and 'yes Khan!' He'd grabbed Nana by the arm, not waiting for her answer because of course she'd agree, and together they'd left the dining hall in search of the King Dedede. All the Waddle Dees kept calling him 'His Greatness,' which Popo thought was weird. The only time he'd seen him do something great was when he jumped up the entire height of the Longfort and punched Raimi in the face. No big deal, really.

They'd searched the East Wing for Dedede, and couldn't find him. They searched the Arena for him, Popo looking for distinctly Dedede tracks while Nana asked around if anyone has seen him. She had only managed to get a few reported sightings from half-asleep celebrators. Popo couldn't begrudge any of the vagabonds for being tired though because it was getting pretty late. He was silently thankful that his bed time had been pushed back by his search, since he knew he'd be too excited to sleep. Nana probably knew that too, not that she would admit it.

After a single loop around the inside of the Arena, they had found only one consistent claim. A weighty blue bird person was there, but now he wasn't. Logical reasoning led the twins to believe that meant he had to be outside the Arena.

The snow crunched under their boots and tickled their noses, though the frigid cold most associated with the flakes felt like naught but a pleasant breeze to the twins. The light of the slight waning moon could have guided them through the city, but the torches and torch staves that the still running merchants had out lit the maze of tents well.

One merchant, half dazed, locked his eyes on the children as they passed. He immediately sat up straight and called out to them. From his pale complexion, Popo had to guess the man was Plegian.

"Children! Come here! Perhaps I have something that interests you?" His arms moved in a flourish towards a table he'd set out. Various dolls and knick knacks were laid out for all to see.

Popo shrugged his shoulders, his mission momentarily forgotten, and ran straight towards the table. His first instinct was to grab for the shiniest thing on the table. A necklace, covered in gems he couldn't name. Too rich for him, he'd thought as he put it down. As something else caught his eye, he heard his sister sigh.

"I'm sorry, sir. Popo gets distracted. I'm afraid we're on a mission," Nana said.

The stitched together doll that Popo grabbed looked a lot like a woman, bundled up in a large overcoat. Short white threads made up her hair, which covered half of her face. While the exposed part of her face seemed normal, the bit that was covered up seemed burnt. Not just a painted on burn, either. Like, someone had put the doll into a fireplace, pulled it out and put the hair over it.

To his sister, the merchant 'hm'd. He hadn't turned away from Popo since he picked up the doll

"At this hour? It must be important," the merchant replied. From the sound of his voice, it was clear he thought that was just humoring any child. Popo could tell, because many of the other Feroxi did the same thing. Never Flavia or Raimi, though. "Perhaps I could help in some way?"

"Yea, maybe. Have you seen a fat blue bird man in a red coat?" Popo asked, putting the doll back on the table.

"Oh, I believe I have, children. I thought I was going mad until others started to talk about it," the man chuckled. "He came with the Ylissean Prince's group, right?" The twins stood side by side with their arms as they glared at the man. Nana tapped her foot impatiently. With an embarrassed smile, the man put up his arms. "Fine, fine. He went off in that direction. I had tried to get his attention myself, but he had some rather choice words... Well, you'd best not worry about it."

The twins shared a glance, before turning back to the man and thanking him. They departed for the direction he had pointed them in, waving as they went. The man waved back.

The man had pointed them deeper into the city, closer to the Arena than they had expected. Many merchants were starting to pack their stuff away for the night. In the morning, most of them would be on their way home or towards their next stop. Some would linger for a few extra hours or days, latching onto tribes that were also leaving in exchange for protection.

The sound of flat steel impacting flesh rung out from nearby, and the twins broke into a sprint. Their short legs carried them quickly toward the cause, and nearly carried Popo into danger had Nana not grabbed him and practically threw him behind a nearby tent.

The sister put a finger to her mouth, immediately silencing any comeback he had been planning. She poke her head around the corner.

"Found Dedede," Nana whispered, worry in her voice. "He's knocked out, and six big bandit guys around him."

Popo pushed himself up immediately, anger in his eyes. "Cmon, Nana, we've gotta-"

"No, and be quiet!" Nana ordered sternly, still keeping her voice low. She poked her head out again. "We've gotta tell the Khan... Hey, one's missing."

"Hello, kiddies," a voice purred from behind them. Popo spun around to face the culprit, while Nana froze in place. A large man with two thin prongs of shortly-cut dark brown hair wrapped around his head towered over the children, a fake smile on his face and an axe the size of Popo on his shoulder. He squatted down close to them with a grin. "I'm afraid there's nothing to see here, and you should both move along."

Popo nodded quickly, and took about half a step before one of the other bandits spoke.

"Victor!" One of the other thugs shouted, and Popo was surprised to see that he and his sister had been surrounded. "These two are the East Khan's!"

"Oh, are they now? Poor darlings," the large man, apparently Victor, said. A dark smile crossed his face. "In that case, we shouldn't leave them to tattle."

Nana's eyes went wide, and she tried to escape between two of the thugs. One of them grabbed her hood and picked her off the ground. She kicked around and tried to pull herself free, but her captor just held her away from him and laughed.

"Nana!" Popo yelled, before getting picked up similarly. He found himself face to face with Victor again. He immediately noticed that he had his hands free, still.

"Alright, we're going to be bringing these two with us as well. I hope you guys- mph?"

Popo struck his hand out towards the man's mouth, just barely unable to touch it. Out of his open palm, a visibly cold chill added to the frosty air. As it touched Victor's lips, it solidified immediately. In his confusion, Victor dropped Popo on the ground. The bandits around them were momentarily stunned by the unexpected move, giving Popo time to act.

As soon as Popo touched the ground, he rolled backwards onto his feet, staring down each of his foes. Four men surrounded him, each one armed with steel weaponry, sharp enough to cut the air. Unarmed and practically defenseless but for his ice powers, Popo smirked. He did wish he had his hammer though.

As one of the bandits charged at the boy, he dodged out of the way. His assailant's momentum sent the man toppling into the snow when his axe only hit the empty air Popo had just occupied. Popo jumped onto the man's back, and pushed off the man to practically fly onto the next man's head. He kicked off this last bandit's head towards Nana's captor. Determination filled Popo's soul as he flew through the air, his foot reeled back to-

...

"POPO! That's not how it happened!"

Popo jumped at his sister's shouting, shocked that anyone would dare to interrupt him. He shot a glare at her, though he withered into his seat when she returned it tenfold. Flavia was leaning back in the great seat in her hall, a bemused smirk refusing to keep from her lips. Chrom and his tactician seemed much less entertained. Nana couldn't really make out of the rest of Chrom's party, though she knew they were likely all gathered in the hall. It was crowded enough to be all of them, anyway.

"Nana, we agreed that I would tell it how I wanted to!" Popo pleaded.

"Not if you're going to lie, you dope. This is too important for your super fighting nonsense. Now I've got to fact check," Nana shot back. She was vindicated when her brother backed down, his arms crossed and his behind firmly planted on the ground.

"Well, if your brother is such a liar, what really happened?" Chrom asked impatiently, ignoring the death glare coming vaguely from the direction of Popo.

"Oh, he was pretty much right until he got to the fight," Nana clarified. "But he fell on his face instead, and while the bandits were laughing he kicked the one holding me in the shin. We ran away and hid in a merchant's tent for a few hours until we knew we were safe."

"And you're sure it was Dedede that you saw?" Chrom asked again. Nana nodded firmly.

"He had his red coat, and his blue bird-like face. And his belly."

"There's probably still an imprint in the snow," Robin said. "We could double check to make sure."

"An imprint?" Chrom asked.

"Well... As she said, Dedede has a very... Distinctive body type," Robin said. He gently patted his stomach for emphasis. The sleepy looking Pikachu on his shoulders buried his eyes behind his paws.

Despite how serious he was trying to be, Chrom's cheeks rose a bit. Frederick cleared his throat loudly, bringing all attention to him.

"As poorly put as it was, Robin is not wrong. Someone should investigate the scene of the assault before we take any further measures," Frederick suggested.

Robin nodded his head. "Agreed. Flavia, you have watches around the city, right?" The Khan nodded. "Send out the word, we need any information we can get about Dedede's location throughout the night, and about anyone moving in or out of the city."

"What should the Shepherds do?" Chrom asked.

"With the Khan's permission, I'll be following the kids back to where they were attacked. If the attackers are smart, they won't be in the city anymore. The rest of the Shepherds should prepare to move out. As soon as we have a trail, we need to move. We don't know who this Victor is working for or with, nor why they took Dedede. We report back in two hours."

---

Robin was practically pulled out of the Arena by the boy after he asked where their attackers had been. Even Pikachu was having trouble keeping up with the boy. Nana had offered her help carrying the mouse, but Robin had wisely counseled against it. Getting out of the Arena hadn't taken long. Most of the early traffic was still asleep, either in their own tents or passed out across the walls of the Arena.

Robin was barely given the time to process the fresh, frigid air that hit him as they exited the Arena proper, as the twins broke into a run. The sun would be scarcely peaking over the horizon, were grey clouds not enveloping the entirety of the sky.

Robin nearly tripped over thrice in the deep snow just outside, yet the twins both seemed able to just glide barely above the snow. Robin barely even saw footprints behind them, which he assumed to be the fault of the early morning light. Popo dragged him bumbling and tripping through the maze of tents. When the boy finally stopped, Robin's cloak was almost entirely covered in snow, and the man in it was shivering. Pikachu's yellow coat was similarly covered.

Nana stepped in front them, and pointed her thumb at the clearing before them. "This is it, this is where they got Dedede."

Footsteps of various sizes were scattered throughout, most of them clearly left behind by people wearing boots. The most stand out set, almost hidden well amongst the variety of steps, were oval shaped. As he had guessed, they ended in a large displacement of snow.

"You s-s-said there were six of them?" Robin chattered. He hadn't had the time to realize how cold he was until they stopped. He was counting a lot more sets of footprints than six, but he wasn't exactly a tracker of any kind. Most of the tracks were refilled by the night's snows.

"Yep, six. The rest must belong to other people," Nana said.

Robin nodded. Tracking the attackers would be impossible with so many likely dead ends, but that meant he only had a single reliable lead to follow. He traced Dedede's footprints out of the clearing. Wordlessly, Robin moved to follow it. The twins followed him closely, but when he turned around he saw Pikachu struggling to keep up. With a light smile, Robin returned to his friend and hoisted him off his feet. Pikachu didn't fight the effort, letting Robin cradle him like an infant. It was significantly warmer for the both of them. Popo snickered as Robin caught back up.

The King's footprints didn't lead far from the clearing. They ended at a carpet in front of what was obviously a merchant's tent. There was an overhang just over the tent's flap. Beside the tent hung what looked like display racks for weapons and armor, though nothing hung from them. A table also sat by its side, now devoid of any merchandise. A carriage was parked beside the tent with a donkey already linked to it, raring to travel. It was a curious sight, as Robin was fairly certain that donkeys were not nocturnal and it was far too early to safely travel.

Two trails that were distinctly Dedede in nature touched the entrance of the tent, one going in and one coming out.

"I'll t-talk to the merchant. You sh-should follow the other set, Popo, N-N-Nana." Gods, was Robin sick of the cold. The shivering Pikachu still in his arms made it only feel worse, despite their shared warmth.

The more boisterous of the twins gave Robin a thumbs up, while Nana gave a nod. They left him and Pikachu alone as they ran beside the other set of Dedede's footprints.

He stepped past the twins and shouldered his way into the tent with a single hand. Heat hit him as he ducked under, a curious phenomenon. He had no time to consider it. As his hand returned to cradle his freezing Pikachu, the chilling edge of a sword pressed against the back of his neck, freezing him in place. It wasn't pressed hard enough to harm him, but all he had to do was move wrong, and that was it.

"Back to take something else from me, are you then?" The woman's voice came. The threat was clear, despite the playful lilt she held. Pikachu had tensed in his arms the instant the metallic sheen manifested over his shoulder, and Robin could feel the static building in his arms. "Sorry to say, that's not going to happen."

"Wait, what are..."

"Shush, I'm asking the questions, sir. So, what're you holding? Turn around, slowly," she ordered. The blade withdrew from his neck, though he could still see it practically feel it hovering just off his neck. Robin did as he was asked, incredibly slowly and deliberately. "Show me what you've... taken?"

The woman had red hair and a green cloak on. A staff was lit up brightly in her left hand, glowing bright and exuding a comfortable amount of heat. Her blade hovered between them in her right hand. As Robin registered the confusion on the woman's face, the sword was pulled away from his throat. He let out the breath he absolutely knew that he was holding.

"That's... Not something of mine," the woman said. She still held her sword between the two of them. "Who are you?"

He could still feel Pikachu sparking in his arm. A small, vindictive part of him wanted to let go of the mouse, and let him attack the woman, but that would've been counter productive. "My name is Robin."

"I'm Anna. I'm sorry if you're a customer, but I've already closed up shop. I need to get out of town," she said, sheathing her sword on her belt. "Oh, and I'm also sorry I was ready to kill you. My associate was kidnapped today, and I really need to hunt down her kidnappers. I'm a little bit in edge."

What an odd thing to tell a stranger unprompted. It sounded like exactly the kind of thing Robin wanted to follow up on.

"I'm not a customer, actually. A colleague of mine was also kidnapped just by here earlier this night, and I have reason to believe he stopped in here just before he was taken. You might remember a large man in a red fur coat, not entirely human. A man named Victor ambushed him after he left your tent."

Anna let a 'mm-hmm' slip out. "Yes, I remember your friend pretty clearly. He was a very poor haggler, I've gotta say," she snarked. Her expression hardened quickly. "But Victor I also know. If Victor or his brother took him, then that means the same people who took my colleague took your friend, I'm certain. Nasty poachers nested somewhere east of the city."

Poachers had Dedede? Dedede, who resembled a bird. Who had a unique blue coloring. Whose coat was made of a rich material not of this world, and whose crown had actual gold crafted into it. They had to move fast, Robin concluded.

"Do you know where their hideout is?" Robin asked. Anna made a see sawing feature with her hand.

"Kind of? I could lead you close to where they're holed up. I don't know if I could get you in," she admitted. Robin saw the signs of an idea form on her face. "Actually, if you're willing to help my associate out too, I'll help you save yours. Free of charge!" Anna extended a hand to Robin. "We have a deal?"

Robin was tempted to take it, but he wasn't in charge of the mission.

Or was he? He was the strategist, and how they were gathering information had been his planning. He was sure that Chrom would forgive him his trespass, so long as it worked.

Risking Pikachu's wrath, he put his friend down gently so he'd have his hands free. He was happy when all that Pikachu did was glare at the woman without lashing out. With an all business smile, Robin took Anna's hand firmly in his own. Up, down, and it was done. Anna's face lit up and she picked up a closed crate that was by her foot.

"Great! And since we're working together now," she began as she shoved the crate into a befuddled Robin's arms, "you can help me finish packing! Careful with that box, it's fragile."

"But..."

"No buts! I'm not going anywhere without my merchandise!"

---

Chrom was tapping his finger impatiently on the table. Two hours, Robin had said. And where was he? The rest of the Shepherds were geared up, waiting outside of the Arena with their equipment along with a number of the Waddle Dees, who had volunteered to help. The only thing missing was the Tactician himself. The twins had returned early, saying they split from Robin to explore a new lead. They failed to explain what it was.

Gods, the Prince thought. This must be how Frederick feels all the time.

He was reluctantly a bit pleased that he found himself with the extra time to readjust his armor. He had kind of rushed to dress when the news of Dedede's kidnapping reached him. His early awakening hadn't been as bad as some of the others. When he had run room to room rousing the Shepherds, he had found Vaike passed out on Kellam's bed. And on top of Kellam. Even when Vaike was putting together his gear - which amounted to his axe and his shoulder-piece - the spiky haired man still look flustered and hungover. Flustered was an incredibly odd emotion to see on Vaike. It was as though his face didn't know how to communicate the feeling.

Kellam had just laughed it off. Chrom hadn't really seen him much since waking him, so he could only guess how he'd really felt about that. Chrom knew he'd have been uncomfortable awaking to that.

Finally, the double doors to the hall were thrown open and Robin and his pet stepped in, looking more exhausted than when he Chrom had seen him last. Behind them was a new woman in green, with bright eyes and a cheerful smile.

"Sorry that I'm late," Robin apologized. "I did find something though."

"I see that. Who is she?" Chrom asked.

"This is-"

"Hello, Prince Chrom! My name is Anna. Your friend here and I came to an agreement," the woman said, chipper as can be. Chrom threw a curious glance Robin's way, finding no answer. "I can lead you pretty close to where the people who took your friend are hiding out, and in return you rescue my colleague who was also taken."

"A pleasure..." Chrom deadpanned. He squinted at the woman inquisitively. "How will we be finding the hideout once we are about in the area?"

"I can send the twins with you," Flavia spoke up. "They could find it. I'd send Raimi as well, but I need her here."

"Khan Basilio also sent that other man to join us. Lon'qu, wasn't it?" Robin asked, to which Chrom nodded. "I'm willing to bet he'll be able to track them through the snow as well."

"Then it's a plan," Chrom said. He pushed away from the table. "We've got to move, now. We spent enough time lingering around."

He sent a non-malicious glare in Robin's direction. To the man's credit, he had the decency to look embarrassed.

"What took you so long, anyway Robin?" Vaike asked with an friendly smack on the back, using enough force to nearly knock the man off his feet. Robin didn't get the chance to answer, as Anna spun around immediately.

"Oh, I put those arms of his to use," she answered vaguely. "Not too often I get to take advantage of someone quite like that."

Silence.

And then laughter, as Vaike slapped Robin's back again in the same spot.

"Robin, are you trying to one up Virion here?" Vaike laughed.

"We were just moving boxes," the Tactician grumbled, rubbing his shoulder.

---

"Have you had any problems since the last healer checked on you?" Libra asked. "Leg pains, headaches, stiffness, unsteady vision...?"

Meta Knight shook his head. "I feel just as well as before I crashed." Hardly a lie, as his greatest lurking problem was rebuilding his stamina to its peak. His muscles had degraded an embarrassing amount, but that was to be expect after a month of relative inactivity. Knowing it didn't make it any less frustrating, though.

Libra smiled lightly at the declaration. "That is a relief. I had been worried that I let you go too soon, and I found it hard to take the others at their word."

"Be at ease, Libra. You have done your part for me," Meta Knight reassured. "The rest of my recovery is up to me."

Libra crossed his arms, his ceremonial shawl moving with them as they crossed for a moment before gently falling behind to his chest.

"And I pray to Naga you know what recovery entails, Sir Knight," Libra said, accusation in his voice. "Dueling in the yard, I'd heard. It didn't surprise me, I could tell you were a fighter from the moment you tried to take that first step. But now I hear you'll be flying with the Pegasus Knights, too?"

Meta Knight's eyes narrowed. "Where did you hear that?" He demanded.

"Her Holiness the Exalt Emmeryn herself came to us to ask if you would be risking your health," Libra answered coyly. When the clergymen saw Meta Knight grew only more tense at the revelation, he let out a chuckle. "Worry not, I assured her it would not tamper with you recovery."

At last, Meta Knight backed down, lying back in his bed. "I will try to keep from making you a liar, then."

Libra nodded, removing himself from the bedside stool he had moved. He returned it to its spot by the corner-table and made for the door.

"Take care of yourself, Meta Knight," Libra said in parting.

"And you as well, Libra."

---

The march out of Qashliq was strange. Everyone felt only a hint of the tension they should, considering an important figure had been kidnapped. Despite this knowledge, something in the air around them felt lighter than it should have. Their journey North had felt more straining, and they hadn't been certain of any kind of danger at the time.

Robin had a few guesses as to the why. Nana and Popo lacked the supervision of Raimi this time, as the General was still aiding Flavia's transition into power in the city. That wasn't to say no one was trying to keep them under control, but-

"Popo!" Frederick shouted, momentarily breaking his ever stoic character. The remnants of a snowball were currently sliding down the side of his cheek. From the trees, the children's laughter echoed. Robin didn't pay it heed. He had no intention of getting involved. Let Frederick take the brunt of their pranks, and the kids take the brunt of his ire. It was an ideal situation for everyone not involved.

Another thing lightening the trip had to be their guide. Considering her situation, she acted a bit chipper. If Robin hadn't nearly lost his head to her just that morning, he would think she wasn't concerned about her colleague at all. Her wagon was leading the train, her traveling supplies and wares clattering around behind her and the donkey that pulled it all. Wares that she was not shy about trying to part ways with, for a hefty sum of gold.

Between the three of them, nearly their entire group was all in fair spirits. Robin glanced towards the back of the line. Frederick's horse was currently driving the Shepherds wagon near the back, giving the work-horses a chance to breathe for the evening.

Beside the Shepherds' supplies trudged the solemn faces of Dedede's servants. Robin felt pity for them, as they all but one of them seemed lost. Bandana Dee was personally helping to pull the King's personal wagon, his eyes hard set on the path ahead of them. The Waddle Dee beside him seemed hard pressed to match his brethren. The normally jovial reds, blues and yellows of the Kings folded up tent were being covered by the snowfall, only to be brushed aside by the Waddle Dees watching over Dedede's possessions. It would all be in perfect shape for the King's rescue. It had to be, for the Waddle Dees' collective piece of mind.

Looking forward, Robin saw Chrom approaching the merchant's wagon. The prince leaned in, listening to whatever the woman had to say. He nodded, turning to the rest of the gathered group with his hand raised and palm open.

"Anna says we're as close as she remembers," he announced. "Grab whatever you need now, we're hiding the rest. Robin, get up here."

Hearing his name, Robin rushed passed the rest of the Shepherds, who were moving in the opposite direction of him.

"What do you need?" The tactician asked.

Chrom gestured to the path before him. The more worn snow indicating the paths split in two directions. The tracks of a wagon

"Your guide doesn't know which way our kidnappers would travel," Chrom said. "Any suggestions?"

"Do you really need one?" Robin asked. "We have three trackers. The kids and Lon'qu. I doubt those kids will willingly part from each other, so let's count them as one. If something happened, we should also each have someone who can ride to the other group and let them know. Thus, we split into two groups, each with a tracker and a rider. I'll take Frederick and the twins, you take Sumia and Lon'qu. "

Chrom's face reddened momentarily before he could stop it. It didn't take long before his brows lowered curiously. "You would really subject Frederick to more of the kids?"

"Do you want to deal with them?" Robin asked with a cheeky smile. They glanced back to see Popo playing with his wooden mallet. He dropped it onto Vaike's toe, eliciting a spirited swear in the man's pain. Chrom shook his head adamantly.

"A fair point," Chrom admitted. "And everyone else?"

"Anna has some proficiency with staves, so I was thinking..."

---

Meta Knight hadn't been to this part of the Palace before. He had mostly kept to his room except for when he went out to train in the fields and when he joined the Exalt for dinner. He could ask for directions, most of the Palace's staff at least knew of him. But then he'd have to deal with talking to one of them, and he wasn't in the mood to deal with their baseless scrutiny.

They didn't trust him. While he ignored it most days, sometimes just thinking of it disgusted him.

He had expected it from the moment he met the Shepherds. Obviously, they had been grateful to Dedede for helping liberate Bathoneo. That gratitude was what kept him in Ylisstol now. But they had led them onto side roads and kept a wide berth from any towns until they reached the capital. And the people of the capital saw inhuman creatures that were taking advantage of their Exalt's kindness. The soldiers were learning better, and had been since he started joining them in the fields. Getting in Belisar's good favor had certainly helped with that. Word of their previous disagreement had stayed between Meta Knight, Belisar, Phila, and the Exalt.

But that morning the fields had been empty. Only the city's garrison remained, as various units of the Knights spread across the Halidom of Ylisse. Reports of the Risen and bandits spread across the land, and they couldn't exactly be ignored. The towns could only defend themselves from so much on their own. And then Belisar had his investigation along the Plegian border...

It had been a dull day because of it, with only one thing for Meta Knight to look forward to.

Meta Knight opened a door to the Palace's gardens. He didn't recognize any of the flowers around him, nor did he care to pay heed to the small variety of color surrounding him. Most of them resembled the sky blues and pure whites of Ylisse. He hadn't stepped outside for their sake anyway. He stepped out to get his bearings.

A gardener eyed him warily as he passed.

Closer to the center of the garden, Meta Knight looked up. The tallest structure in the entire city sat in the corner opposite of where he had exited. Meta Knight frowned under his mask. His eyes followed the tower up, where it looked to pierce the heavens themselves. Meta Knight was only mildly impressed. He'd seen bigger. This tower had a function at least, which did put it above some of the others.

At the top of the tower was an opening, large enough for a battalion to stand side by side. Or for a Pegasus unit to deploy fly from, two at a time. Circling the spire was the Pegasus Knights in question, their routine at least an hour begun. Phila had asked that he wait before joining them, to give the Knights time to warm up and to be informed that he was coming. Warned, more like. Whilst he appreciated the invitation, and he couldn't blame her for her caution, he'd much rather have been there from the start. Especially for what would amount to a glorified game and an excuse to stretch his wings.

His eyes traced the tower back to the ground. It would be a long ways across the Palace to walk still, and he would still have the stairs to scale. He decided an alternative method would be easier.

Meta Knight turned around to see the gardener had lost interest in him. Meta Knight turned back to the tower and threw open his cape, revealing purple veined wings that nearly tripled his length across. He ducked low, a barely noticeable movement to anyone else, and kicked off the ground. He felt a tickle in his leg as he lifted off the ground, the only proof left he had ever been injured.

As he moved upwards, his wings flapped to pull him further upwards. And upwards he went. A glance back at the ground beheld the gardener looking up at him, perhaps in awe. Perhaps in fear. Upwards he climbed still, closer to the late Summer sun. Before he was even two-thirds up the tower, he could feel the winds trying to push him around. He held fast, ascending until he was at last level with the towers uppermost entry.

The wind overtook his hearing, and he doubted he'd be able to hear anything else. If he flew up just a bit farther, he felt like he could touch the clouds. He had no intention of doing so. He had yet to find any clouds dense enough to walk on in this world that the Rebirth created. That seemed a quality largely unique to Dreamland. The only exception he had found were those clouds with faces in the Mushroom Kingdom. Sometimes. It was confusing.

His ascent had caught the attention of the Pegasus Knights, most of whom had yet to see him but in passing before today. The one that flew towards him was a familiar one. Her red hair trailed behind her as she rode, giving her away as the woman who had escorted Dedede and Meta Knight on their first night in Ylisse. Cordelia - if he recalled correctly - stopped several yards from where Meta Knight, and raised her hand. It was obvious what she wanted, so Meta Knight kept level. He nodded in response, hoping that the motion would convey.

She smiled, and made a bunch of hand motions in the general direction of the spire. Since Meta Knight had no choice but to guess what she meant, he assumed she was telling him to head for the tower.

Meta Knight flapped his wings twice, each time harder than before. As his wings reached their lowest point on the second, he leaned backwards. His trajectory spun him in a backwards loop which he ended with his wings parallel to the clouds. This new position allowed him to glide towards the tower with ease, only occasionally having the correct his course

As the wind carried him into the opening, he curved his wings upwards ever so slight, allowing the drag to slow him nearly to a halt. His momentum lost, he allowed himself to fall to the ground with only the lightest of movement in his wings. The instant his feet were on the tiled ground, Meta Knight filed his wings against his back. They disappeared underneath the reforming visage of his cape.

"I had expected you to take the stairs," Phila from behind him. As he turned around from his landing spot, Meta Knight saw the Ylissean Wing Commander near the edge of the entrance window with her hands behind her back. He hadn't seen the small railing that she stood beside when he entered, he had been going to fast.

"It would take too long." Meta Knight answered simply.

He took in the room around him. On the inside the room was little more than a large open space with little in the ways of design or luxury. Metal troughs lined the two walls perpendicular to the window, each visibly melted into the floor. Likely in case the winds from the outside started to pick up. They looked about half empty, from what Meta Knight could tell.

"I would have prefered you take the extra time," Phila reprimanded. "I imagine whoever saw you will be spreading rumors within the hour."

"What will they say that the soldiers haven't already said?" Meta Knight asked.

"Ive found that civilians and soldiers don't often share the same rumors," Phila answered. "I've served in the Palace long enough to know that much."

As they spoke, the Pegasus Knights who had been in the skies flew into the tower, two at a time. As they landed, the Pegasi they rode circled to the side of the room, giving the next two Knights room to land and forming two lines on opposite sides of the room next to a trough. As the last of the Pegasi took their place, the Knights looked towards their commander. Though many of their faces were covered by helmets, Meta Knight could still tell the woman were trying to sneak a glance at their guest.

"Eyes forward!" Phila shouted, and every head in the room straightened immediately. "You've got fifteen minutes, feed your Pegasi and yourselves quickly."

"Yes, Commander!" The shout echoed down the hall. As the Knights dismounted, Phila turned back to the window."

"One of the Knights arrived late, or it'd be twenty minutes to rest," Phila said.

"Then will I be losing time to rest later too?" Meta Knight asked half-jokingly.

"No. You're not officially under my command at this time," Phila said.

Meta Knight surveyed the room. The majority of the Knights had already dismounted and led their mounts to drink. A few were pulling rations from a pouch that hung off their saddles, whilst others sipped from their canteens.

Phila's eyes traveled the length of the room again and again, predatory in their search of a breach of regulation. Meta Knight didn't know what such a breach would look like. He had never cared to take care of a pet, nor had owning a transport animal ever been necessary for him. Such was the perk of owning what amounted to a Flying Fortress.

But his fortress had fallen. Whilst the fires from the crash had been quelled before he had woken from his coma, the wreckage was still ablaze with the dreams of a shore from another world.

"Wing Commander," Meta Knight said. Phila's head nudged slightly towards him in acknowledgement, but her gaze stayed on her Knights. "Any word on when the Pegasus Knights are moving?"

"When? If would be better. I've yet to receive any orders," Phila answered. "Besides the garrison leader, I'm the only military authority in the city. I don't foresee anyone sending us from the city before Belisar returns. Why do you ask?"

"You'd offered for me to join you today in your training. I'm sure that's not something that happens often," Meta Knight mused. "I highly doubt Belisar's men would do so well up here."

"I'd imagine not," Phila answered evenly. "Most Pegasi don't allow men to even touch them. Of those that do, very few could hold their extra muscle in weight. Your point?"

"When you're ordered away," Meta Knight began heavily, "I would like to join you."

Phila considered this for a moment. Meta Knight was waiting for either an inquiry, or an outright refusal. Instead Phila frowned.

"The Exalt would not be pleased if you happened to be away when His Highness, King Dedede returned. The Assembly even less so."

"It's 'His Greatness.' Dedede would take any praise, but that's his preferred deferential title." Meta Knight chuckled. "But it is a fair point otherwise."

"Once the Prince's party returns, we could discuss it," The Wing Commander said. The Pegasus Knights were starting to mount their Pegasi once again. Phila stepped away from Meta Knight, and the topic was officially benched.

"Sisters, eyes forward!" The commander shouted, and the Knights eyes fell forward. Meta Knight let her open the explanation patiently, waiting for when he was given the floor. The two of them had needed to think of another exercise that Meta Knight could participate in, as he couldn't take part in the normal drills of the Knights. If not for the Exalt's express permission and Meta Knight's urging, he doubted the Wing Commander would have allowed it at all.

---

Cordelia was not sure what Phila was thinking. She would not doubt the Wing Commander's judgement out loud, of course, nor hesitate to put forward her best. Ylisse needed her and her sisters-in-arms to do their best, at all times. Before the judgement of the Exalt Emmeryn, of her country Ylisse and the Divine Dragon Naga she was sworn to serve.

The practice spear held at her side as her Pegasus below her cut through the air. The plan was simple: encircle the target. A dark speck in the distance with yellow eyes, hovering in wait for the five Knights that flew in a V-formation towards him. He can't escape if there's no where to go. She looked back over to the temporary unit's captain. As they approached their goal, the captain's spear hand shot out to the right. Together with another Pegasus knight, Cordelia adjusted her grip on her reigns and urged her mount to the right.

She didn't expect the objective to stay still as they did so. In the back of her head, she tried to work out how fast any given rider would need to fly to catch him if he fled. Judging from how fast he had approached the tower earlier, she figured any one of them could catch up to him given enough time.

But he stayed in place. In the sky about a mile from the Palace's Tower, Meta Knight's wings battered against the sky to keep him afloat. As they circled around him, his mask did not turn away from the captain.

They stayed encircled for a moment, miles in the air no far from the tower. Phila had picked four of the greatest Pegasus Knights under her command, as well as Cordelia. Meta Knight had explained what the exercise would be. It was a brief explanation.

'If any one of you tags me even once with your weapon, you all win,' he had said. 'Phila has promised she would reward you greatly, with permission from the Exalt herself to choose whatever you would please.'

That had gotten them interested. Better pay, a promotion, recognition. Their Captain Thea was almost certainly thinking of her husband's health. Some illness had taken him, and she couldn't afford to send for the care she would need, a fact which she only admitted in private. It can't have been life-threatening, or else she would have made his misfortune known to her superiors earlier. Cordelia would have guessed it was a minor flu, if any of the Pegasus Knights gossips asked her what she thought. None of them did.

The woman beside Cordelia doubtless didn't want much either. Just a modest loan of more money than she had any right to earn. Her skill was undeniable, Cordelia had seen it firsthand, but the Wing Commander and even Thea were far better. Some would whisper that Cordelia could fly better than her as well. It had been her jealously that brought about her dreaded nickname, 'genius.'

Cordelia didn't know how to even ask for what she wanted. Would it even be right for her to indulge her own desires, should they succeed? Could she? It seemed mad to her that the possibility even hung anywhere in sight at all. A chance, at last. She had decided she would ask to dine with the the Exalt and her family just once. The Prince would be there. He'd have to be.

Ah, were Chrom Marth born again, mayhaps she could be his Caeda. Once more she dared to daydream of the Prince holding her, no matter how unlikely she knew it was.

Her fantasy abated as soon as Meta Knight had continued.

'Don't get excited. You only have one hour. You won't win,' he had added. There was no inflection to it, no mocking or overconfidence. It was a simple fact, as far as he was concerned. It was an unbecoming arrogance of the little person. He had seemed modest when she had first met him, even kind in an awkward and chivalrous way.

Meta Knight's absolute confidence had gotten the others a bit riled up, though. Likely his goal. Then he took off, and Phila said they had five minutes to get in the air after him. Cordelia had been ready in about two, and at three minutes they had departed in their V formation with their plan in mind.

Now he stared down their captain as even Cordelia waited for a signal to move. Thea herself returned the glare as impassively as she could manage, waiting for any reaction at all. The only sounds around them was the wind and the battering of wings that resisted it.

When something happened, it wasn't clear who had moved first. Thea had flinched, and thought it would be the signal to move. And then Meta Knight's wings folded into his cape, and he was falling. Panicked, Thea's hands were like lightning, signaling the order to catch him before he hit the ground. Cordelia was the first one moving. Her Pegaus was diving after him, and she had to trust that only one other Knight was following them down. It was protocol, no more than two Knights go after someone who is falling from such a height. Any more would be dangerous to the rescuers, and would be taking to many resources away from what could be a battle at a crucial moment.

Pegasi were not meant to dive at such steep angles, and especially not with a passenger. The wind blew into Cordelia's eyes, making them water as she descended. Meta Knight was on collision course for the ground, but she was catching up. She looked up to see Thea herself opposite of her. Below them, Meta Knight continued to plummet rapidly, the bottoms of his boots pointed to the heavens.

Cordelia was closer to Meta Knight, and signaled her captain to give her room by signaling downward with her right hand. The captain nodded, and pulled up a bit. Cordelia returned her attention to her target. As she got even nearer, she started to reach down, hoping to grab his foot. She was shocked when turned his head up to face her, and even without pupils as she knew people to have she thought she saw joy and no small amount of pride.

Meta Knight leaned his body back towards her, his cape dissolving into his bat wings as he swooped just below her reach and passed her by.

Quickly Cordelia yanked on her Pegasi's reins, and her girl tried as quickly as it could to pull up. When she was finally gaining altitude again, she could see Meta Knight above her, flying around Thea's mount like the wind wasn't even there. When Thea pivoted left, Meta Knight went right. When she went right, he went up. When she rose to catch him, he flew over her and landed on her Pegasus, kicking off its back for a burst of momentum.

As Cordelia watched, she felt a sense of dread. The rest of her sisters descended, hoping to catch Meta Knight off guard. Cordelia shook her hesitance away. In a real fight, it could have gotten someone killed. She joined her sisters in the vain hope she could catch up.

By the end of the hour they and their Pegasi were ready to collapse. Meta Knight had landed behind them, his feet touching the ground with the small metallic clattering of his boots. He plucked a stray feather from his shoulder pad, and gave Phila a short bow. When he brought it up, he spoke with brevity.

"They performed passably, Wing Commander. In the end, I won." His voice was cool and collected, no hint of exhaustion at all in his stride

He departed, taking the stairs this time. Everyone watched him leaved. Phila's expression remained neutral. They had lost.

---

"Focus, Popo," Nana insisted quietly. Her brother continued to giggle. "This is serious!"

"I-I... Pft. I know that," her brother said, failing to stifle his laughter.

She pinched her nose. Most of the time she would have been laughing too, but they were supposed to be tracing, not prancing. Not that she did anything to stop it, much to the frosty chagrin of the Knight Frederick. The Knight was deeply displeased by the small, furry, and swine-like creature that now clung that to the back of his horse. The strong stench of the berries that Popo had placed in the Knights pouch didn't help either.

A simple snowball didn't suffice this time for Popo. Nana had warned him that he might be going too far, and Popo just laughed. He'd found the berries earlier on the side of the road, and he remembered them well. Untouched, they barely left any impression on the senses, but once cut the smell spread through the air like fire through the woods. Popo had tried to eat them before, before Flavia had even found them. They were certainly edible, but they tasted icky. Not that Nana had ever tasted them. That she'd admit.

"Swinub!" The animal demanded again, inching closer to the knight from upon his horse's back. Frederick had no visible reaction.

"I think it likes you, Frederick," Robin laughed. This made Popo snicker again. "You and your horse seem to be taking this well, considering."

Frederick glowered at the tactician. Robin flinched under the hard look, and Pikachu cringed.

"Swinub! Swinub!"

"You could just give it the berries, Frederick," another man suggested. The one without the shirt... Vaike! That was his name. "Scamp might leave if you just-"

Vaike stopped talking when he saw the Knight's ire turned to him. Despite the cold, a bead of sweat formed on the shirtless man's brow. He tried to shrug it off. Nana couldn't judge the man how the man dressed in the weather, as she found it easy to brush off the Feroxi snows. A lot of the Feroxi dressed in similarly little as well. Flavia's constant insistence that she'd appreciate it when she was older might have something to do with her complacency as well.

She was getting distracted, and Popo certainly wasn't helping. She turned back to the road, looking for any sign of a cart or a group of people breaking off from the road. Any other abnormality in any tracks would help too. She and her brother were being trusted to find the kidnappers hideout. Apparently, Anna had met the kidnappers at the crossroads on her way to the capital. They had arranged for a delivery in the city, as one of the men paid extra for something that Anna called 'quality assurance. A once in a lifetime offer that came with the purchase.

The merchant's explanation of the process went right over Nana's head. The emphasis on the profitability was very, very clear.

After Anna's associate left their tent in the city to make the delivery to Vincent, she vanished. Anna had holed up for the night, expecting a ransom or an attack on her person. She didn't say how she knew for sure that was who had taken her associate.

"If I acknowledge it, they win," Frederick stated. "I have no intention of spending the rest of this trip as a Feroxi plaything. Since I cannot discipline them as I would you or the Prince, I have no other course of action."

"For the sake of your Prince, eh Frederick?" Anna teased.

"For the good of Ylisse," the Knight agreed coldly.

"Swinub!"

The wind rustled the leaves above Nana's head, distracting her from the conversation. Dang it, she got distracted again! She looked refocused on the road and actually saw something. Despite the snickering and the teasing and the 'Swinubs' when Nana put her hand up to signal a stop, they stopped.

She walked up to the curiosity. The snow was obviously dug in along what would be the pathway, but here she saw a pair of carts break away from the path into the wilderness.

"Find something?" Robin asked. Nana just pointed out the path. "What are... Oh. I see it."

"Good, let's go, then," Bandana Dee said. To the Waddle Dee's obvious chagrin, Robin grabbed him by the arm.

"Easy, we don't know for sure what we're up against."

With a huff, Bandana Dee pulled away. He turned around and glared at Robin.

"But what if they're hurting him right now! We need-"

"Who's kitchen are we in?" Robin asked. Bandana Dee flinched. His arms fell to his side as he drooped.

"Yours..." Bandana Dee sighed. "What do we do?"

"We gather information. The right way, this time," Robin answered firmly. Bandana Dee looked even smaller than Nana in that moment, even though he had a good half inch on her. With her parka, she probably looked a bit taller than him most of the time. Robin's expression lost its seriousness quickly. "But first... Um, Frederick? Can you drop that thing off somewhere?"

The knight tutted.

"Swinub?"

---

"Hey Ben'ke! Catch!"

The man in question turned around just in time for the chest to collide with his ribs. It plopped into the snow unceremoniously. Ben'ke blinked, not wanting to react. The chest was longer than he was used to seeing them, made of a dull looking wood without any kind of design. He had a few guesses for what was inside.

"I said catch, ya git," Harald yelled. He received a rude hand gesture in response. "Yea, you're tough. Pick it up. Victor wants it in the armory. Figures Tirgen could use it." He practically spat the name.

That gave the bandit an idea of what it was. Ben'ke stood up the box and took a peek inside. Wrapped in a blanket at the bottom of the chest was a staff with a bright green crystal at its tip. Ben'ke's turned to Harald, his frown deepened.

"What? You think I know what it does, do ya?" Harald spat. "You know I got nothing to do with any of them Godly-types. Scare me. Especially Tirgen, old as his arse is."

Ben'ke shook his head and closed the lid. It shut with a click, and he stuck it under his arm. He turned away from Harald towards the ruined fortress that they were currently calling home. The bricks were old, and the filling keeping it together was rotting away more and more every day. Ben'ke had heard that the building's origins went back to the fabled Hero King Marth's times. Personally, he believed it was just Victor and Vincent posturing again. Not like he could say anything about it. Not just because he didn't know much, either.

Others might click their tongue against the roof of their mouth at such a morbid though. Once upon a time, Ben'ke would have too.

As he followed the path toward the entrance, he was not surprised that Harald rushed to join him. The Feroxi man enjoyed talking at him. Ben'ke didn't hate the man enough to not listen, nor refuse to even let him speak.

"Did ya hear about what the Captains caught out there?" Harald asked. Ben'ke shook his head, not turning to face him. "You'll never believe it, Ben. They got birds out there."

Ben'ke turned to his companion curiously. He'd known when he took up with Vincent and Victor's 'tribe' that they were both bizarre individuals. They enjoyed arts and each other's company too much. They could have been lovers, if they weren't so adamant about reminding everyone they were brothers.

But birds? There had to be a catch there. Something that Ben'ke was missing.

"Big arse ones. One's got a tail like a sack, and the other's fat enough to make some of those Ylissean lords look fierce." Harald chuckled, proud of his joke. Ben'ke wasn't impressed. Then Harald frowned as he continued, "Tirgen says the fat one was trying to talk to him, the old coot. I never heard of a real bird that's spoke words. Just those bloody magic creeps."

Ben'ke sighed, and held up his free hand, and Harald stopped talking. As much as he tolerated Harald, he knew where that line of conversation went with him. He was in no mood for it.

"Oh, you can't tell me you don't think these things are strange. Ado didn't disappear from nothing, I promise ya that," Harald started anyway. Ben'ke drug his free hand down his face as Harald began his tirade anew. "He was saying he saw a woman in the fog the night before, you remember?"

Ben'ke nodded stiffly. The wind picked up for a second, causing him to twitch from the sudden chill. He was not made for this climate, and his efforts to acclimate to the lower temperatures had been fruitless thus far.

"And then he was gone the next. No signs of where he went. Only his imprint. I'd say that woman was one of them ghostly ones. Took him, for daring to talk about her. He-"

There was a sound. A stick cracking in the woods alongside them. Ben'ke dropped the chest and covered Harald's mouth. The larger man seemed angry at the interruption until Ben'ke put a finger to his mouth. His eyes scanned the trees as he slowly reached for his katana.

Harald picked up on Ben'ke's movements after a confused moment, and pulled his axe off his back.

"Show yourself, whelp!" He shouted. The wind answered. "It will be worse if I have to come in for ya!"

After a moment, a set of bushes rustled nearby. Harald and Ben'ke exchanged a look, and then Harald starting step towards it. Ben'ke held his position, watching the woods around the disturbance. As Harald got near, a yellow head poked out. Harald shrieked, connecting with his feminine side. He dropped his axe as he fell on his back.

"Pikachu?" The small creature questioned. It resembled a rodent, yet it's cheeks were a rosy red and most of the rest of his fur was yellow underneath the snow. Harald crawled on his back away from the mouse. It was only a mouse, and seeing a man as large as the Feroxi shrieking had the mute shaking with soundless laughter.

The mute walked over to his friend and dragged him to his feet. He wasn't sure if Harald's shaking was from the cold or genuine fear.

"Damned git," Harald cursed. "I should gut it, sneaking up on us like that."

Harald's eyes darted back and forth between the rodent and his axe, and despite his threat he was obviously scared to move. Ben'ke shook his head, letting go of his sword as he went to pick up the coward's axe himself. He bent down to grab the weapon, eying the creature curiously. The mouse stepped out of the bush and cautiously approached him. With a smile, Ben'ke reached out an open palm for the rodent to smell.

He only had a moment to be confused when he heard the sound of a pommel bludgeoning flesh behind him, and even less time to process the mouse's suddenly ferocious glance and flowing white tail. The mouse jumped into the air, and Ben'ke lost consciousness as the rodent's tail struck his skull.

...

The world was a blur when Ben'ke woke up. He felt colder, and breathing was difficult. He could vaguely feel something over his mouth. When he tried to remove it, his hands wouldn't cooperate... No, they were bound.

"Hey, Robin! The other one's waking up," an unfamiliar voice said. As Ben'ke looked up, a man in a purple robe stood over him, the rodent who attacked him riding on his shoulder. The man kneeled down to eye level wearing a grim expression.

"Hi," the man said. "Your bosses took some friends of ours. Your friend over there hasn't been very helpful."

Ben'ke glanced to where the man was pointing. Harald was sitting upright, his mouth frozen over.

"Ice magic has been very useful. I'm hoping to try and learn some of it myself, once I find the time," the man said conversationally. Ben'ke's eyes flickered up to the mouse on his shoulder. He'd have screamed at the thing if he could. "But that's not the point. The point is, I'm going to cut that ice from your mouth, and you're going to talk."

Ben'ke's eyes went wide. He tried to open his mouth, hoping the man would leave him alone if he saw he didn't have a tongue. But his mouth was covered by a patch of ice.

His captor stood up and waved someone over. Ben'ke could see Harald try and squirm away as a kid in a blue coat stepped up to him. The kid took out a large nail, stabbed it into the ice on Ben'ke'w mouth, and took a wooden mallet to it.

The ice cracked against his face, and the blunt force struck him. It nearly threw him back. His mouth free, he opened wide and took in deep breaths whilst he could. The man in the robe kneeled down again.

"So, where are your captives?" Ben'ke looked the man in the eye. He wasn't getting pai enough for this, but he lacked the tools to surrender. He opened his mouth wide, hoping it would get his point across. Harald was shouting something, but it was muffled.

"Ah, no tongue. Your friend wasn't kidding when he said you wouldn't tell us anything, then," the man said. He almost sounded guilty. The man rubbed his chin for a moment, an idea visibly forming. "If I broke your restraints, could you draw a map, perhaps?"

"Robin, I must advise against that," A new voice said, clearly disciplined. A knight?

"I know," the supposed Robin said. "I think Pikachu could handle this one if he gets unruly. You should get riding. Chrom will need to know we have found them."

"Swinub."

"And seriously, Do something about that."

There was a harrumph. The sound of someone mounting a horse. The ringing of armor, trotting away.

Robin turned back to his captive. "So, what'll it be? I'd have to kill you if you try anything, so..."

Harald started shouting again under his restraints. Robin pinched his nose.

"One second."

He waved an arm, and another kid in pink carved the ice from Harald's mouth, just like they did with Ben'ke.

"Ah, that stings," Harald growled. "I'll talk, you arse. I'm sick of this, Victor and Vincent don't pay us enough to keep their secrets. Just leave us both be."

Robin turned back to Ben'ke inquisitively. The mute nodded his head. With a smile Robin clapped his hands together.

"That's good to hear."

---

Both of the bandits they had captured were rebound and hidden at the edge of the clearing they had been using to interrogate them. Robin was glad to have them out of sight. They hadn't had to do anything horrible, but he still felt dirty. One look at Bandana Dee was enough to convince him he wasn't exactly in the wrong. He still felt horrible for the act. Being a jailor was obviously not his calling.

All the same, they got the information they had needed. Neither of the bandits had seemed especially loyal, something he should have expected among thieves.

"So, it seems like a simple plan to me," Robin spoke up as they moved along the wall of the old fort, just out of view. "He mentioned an opening in the walls nearby that should get us in where we need to be. If we free Dedede and your associate, Anna, they don't have any leverage against us."

The kids were ahead of them, trying to find the opening in question. Robin figured there was a chance that the bandits would notice their men missing, so he wanted to get in as fast as he could. He wished they had time to wait for Chrom to arrive with Frederick. He was down to only six people to do this with, against an unknown number of bandits. Even their prisoners didn't know the exact number, and whether that was their ability to count or an actual concern was up in the air. Robin expected the worst.

Popo waved at him from further up. The Shepherds plus Anna fell in. Just as they were told, there was a hole in the wall, and light shone into the ruins. In the distance, Robin could vaguely hear voices whooping and cheering.

Without a word, he waved them to move in. Anna took the front, which made him smile a bit. She had been intending to come here alone before he'd found her, so regardless of her civilian appearance she had to know something about what she was doing. He was the last one to cross inside.

The hall they found themselves in was in decay. The carpeting below them had once held a blue hue, some of which was still visible beneath the dust and snow. The ages had taken the saturation away from it, though.

"They said that we'd find them in the North," Robin whispered. "We move in twos. Check any rooms we find, stay out of sight. Bandana, you're with me. Vaike, Anna, take point. Split off from us first opening you have. Nana, Popo, keep our way out open."

A round of affirmatives traveled around them quickly and quietly, though not happily from the merchant. Silently, Robin was happy that they'd accepted his orders without question. He could get used to being in charge like this.

The halls were quiet, but for the cheers they could here echoing in the center of the fort. Holes in the roof of the fort let the sound in even clearer. Out of the corner of his eye, Robin could see Bandana Dee looking more and more tense as they went.

There was a crossroads in the corridor, where one path looked to go further to the East whilst the other continued North. Robin saw Anna and Vaike off with a nod.

"Anything happens, head back to where we captured the other two if you can. If not, hide," Robin ordered quietly as they left.

The twins stayed at by the break-off in the hall. Bandana Dee, Robin, and Pikachu alone took the Northern hallway. There were less holes in the walls for the sunlight to break through, which dulled his vision tremendously.

"You wouldn't happen to be able to see in the dark, would you?" Robin asked Bandana Dee quietly. He could see the confusion in his eyes. That was a no, he surmised.

"Pika?" It was little more than a whisper in his ear. He could feel Pikachu tugging at the strap that hung over his shoulder.

He signaled Bandana Dee to stop and listened for a moment. The only sound he hears was still the rambunctious laughter of the bandits celebration. That could be a blessing for the Shepherds, he realized. If Dedede's poachers were getting intoxicated out there, they wouldn't be able to fight as well. Even his small team would be able to fend for themselves if it came to it.

Comfortable that no one was coming, Robin pulled out his tome. Holding it to the little light he could get, he turned past the section with his tried and true thunder spell. Higher levels of the spell came immediately afterward, but past that he found what he was looking for. The palm of his hand cupped around air as he read the text. The quiet chant slid off his tongue cleanly, though it was unintelligible to Bandana Dee. He wasn't sure what the language was called himself, and he could only chalk up his knowledge of it as yet another frustrating half-memory of his.

"The dark closes in, and my eyes will not serve me. I beg of the divine to light my way."

Within the cup of his hand a small fire lit, hovering just off his hand. It wouldn't leave him, he knew, but it would slowly tire him as long as he maintained it. The flame gave off no heat, a blessing and a curse in the weather outside. Even so, he felt more comfortable keeping it at arms length. He'd rather his survival instincts didn't kick in because of a false flame.

"That's awesome," Bandana Dee commented with his usual cheer, seemingly forgetting how downtrodden he'd been all day. "I didn't know that's how your magic worked too?"

"Too, eh?" Robin noted. "When we're in a less dangerous place, I'm going to want you to elaborate on that."

"Okay. If you teach me the pretty words you'd said, too," Bandana Dee insisted. With a small chuckle, Robin agreed.

With a light in Robin's hand, they continued down the hallway. They had eventually came across a series of doors. Inside were hung-up hammocks and the ruins of what must have once been the quarters of whoever had manned the fortress. A few personal possessions were strewn across the floors and on the remnants of desks. An ornamental sword here, a decorative painting there. Warm, thick animal hides that were likely meant for the actual winter months of Regna Ferox. Robin shuddered at the thought.

Nothing that he or Bandana Dee needed. After the third room like this, they didn't bother to do more than peek inside. He didn't want to risk leaving a foe at their back.

The light in Robin's palm flickered as they approached the next door. Light peeked out from underneath it. He put a hand to its wooden frame. Cold. Cautiously, he leaned in to listen.

"Delibird!" Something shouted. It didn't sound human, but the distress in its voice was obvious.

"Silence, you damned roast!" The voice was deep. It almost sounded like a nobleman's of a noble, if not for the man's choice of language. The distressed voice clammed down for a moment.

Then it shouted again.

"I said quiet!" Something hit steel, the ringing echoing for a moment. The silence that followed was longer. "Thank Naga!" The man's voice said aloud. Try as he might, Robin wasn't able to make out the muttering that followed.

Robin looked down at Bandana Dee, and put up three fingers. He lowered one, leaving two up. One. Then he closed his palm and barged through the door shoulder first.

"What are-!" Pikachu jumped off of Robin's shoulder and threw himself head first into the man's chest. The man fell to the floor, and Robin followed him down. Bandana Dee followed him in, holding his spear up. The area they were in was mostly contained by four walls. A cart with places for two horses sat by a gap in the stonework, emptied of its cargo. As they scanned the small yard, the only other inhabitant they found was a large red bird in a cramped cage.

"Please, don't hurt me, sir," the poacher below Robin begged. Robin looked down at the man. He was dressed in a white robe that almost resembled a priests garb, if not for the wear, dirt, and dried blood on it. A staff was thrown to the ground nearby.

"Bandana, keep the poacher down," Robin ordered. He picked himself up and walked over to the cage. The bird looked up at him with wide eyes. "Don't worry, little one. We'll get you out."

This seems to relax the bird a bit. She sat up as tall as she could in her cramped space.

"Delibird?"

With a smile, Robin nodded. The hatch on the cage need a key. He turned down to the man on the ground.

"A key."

The priest turned poacher glanced up at him, then back at Bandana Dee, who held his spear level with his eye.

"Yes, Yes! The key. My right pocket," he shuddered. "The key is in my right pocket."

Robin glanced down at Pikachu, who happily jumped over the man and shoved his face into the man's pocket. Pikachu emerged to the jangling of keys hanging from his lips. He ran up to Robin, who took them gratefully.

The gate was unlocked with a click. Robin had barely taken his hand off the key when the bird threw itself out of its cage. It landed onto the ground and stretched out. Then it turned to the man on the ground with death in its eyes.

"Deli!" It shouted. It's wing started to glow as it approached the man's face. Robin grabbed before it could swing.

"Hold on, I still need him conscious," he told the bird. A ridiculous sentiment, he realized, in most cases. But he'd seen Pikachu's tail take on that glow before. He knew what it meant. When the bird did stop, albeit with clear reluctance on its face, he knew for sure this was the same kind of creature that Pikachu was. Was this Anna's associate?

He dismissed the question, and looked around the yard again. Nothing was here. Dedede wasn't here.

"Where's Dedede?" Bandana Dee demanded of their captive.

"Where's what?" The priest asked. He whimpered when the spear scratched his nose. "Please! I don't know what you're talking about! I was just supposed to watch the bird's cage!"

"Easy, Bandana Dee," Robin cautioned. With a hmph, Bandana Dee pulled his spear back an in. The man on the ground took a breath. Robin crouched down near his face. "Now, your bosses took two birds," Robin said. "This one here, and another one. Where's the other one?"

"The other one? The other one's at the feast in the main yard," the priest answered. "Vincent wasn't happy when Victor pinched the wrong bird, but they figured they could still eat it."

"What?!" Bandana Dee shrieked. He ran back into the building before Robin could stop him. The tactician exhaled.

"Get in the cage," Robin demanded. When the poacher stared at him blankly, Robin sighed and released his grip on the bird. The bird's glowing wing hit the man across his skull, knocking him out. Robin moved him into the cage as best he could, and closed the latch. He'd be back, Robin assured himself. Leaving the man to freeze to death seemed too cruel.

---

Bandana Dee had darted out of the room in a blink. He imagined that Robin was going to be mad at him again for that, but he didn't care. Dedede was in danger, without question, and he couldn't wait. He tried to think of a plan as he ran. The twins were on the way, and Vaike and the merchant were also that way. He could get their help. Robin would be chasing after him shortly, too.

Not much of a plan, but it was the best he could think of in the two minutes it took him to run back to the crossroads in the corridor. The kids both tensed when as he ran towards them.

"They're going to eat Dedede!" He shouted at them. Nana narrowed her eyes. Popo's eyes widened. "We've got to save him!"

"But how will-"

"Then we have to go!" Popo agreed, cutting off his sister. "Cmon sis, we gotta save a King!"

Popo grabbed his sister's hand and pulled her along, the twins only steps behind Bandana Dee. They took the path that Anna and Vaike had taken only fifteen minutes earlier.

"Wait, brother!" Nana tried to shout, her hammer tapping the ground as she tried to pull her sibling back. "Popo, stop!"

"Where's Robin?" Popo asked. This hall was noticeably much more dilapidated than the one that Bandana Dee and Robin had gone down.

"He's dealing with a prisoner. He'll be right behind us," Bandana Dee said. It wasn't entirely a lie. Whilst he and Robin weren't best friends or anything, Bandana Dee did know that the man cared about the people around him. Not just because it was his job to, either.

They passed a number of doors, each and every one closed. If Vaike and Anna were moving at all like he and Robin were, he felt comfortable assuming they had already checked those rooms. He was a bit surprised when he was about to take a corner, and a big man jumped out and grabbed him, picking him off his feet. Bandana Dee struggled to break free, his voice muffled by the man's arm.

"Sh, quiet," Anna's voice came. Bandana Dee stopped struggling, and he was put down.

"You sure move, don't you?" The big man asked, revealing himself to be Vaike. Bandana Dee's breathing slowed, but how much he had just run was catching up to him. The twins behind him didn't look the least bit winded, which he chalked up to them being kids.

"They have King Dedede!" Bandana Dee said. Anna put a finger to her lip, and leaned towards a window he hadn't noticed. The whooping of a crowd echoed through the opening.

"Alright, they didn't hear us," Anna said. "Stay quiet. What did you two find? Did you find my associate?"

Bandana Dee looked up to answer, quieter this time. He gave a quick summary of their search, ending with Robin letting the bird out of its cage and the bad guy telling them what they were going to do to Dedede. He said he came to find them, so they could save Dedede.

"And this bird you found. Was it red, with a tail like a bag?" Anna asked edgily. Bandana Dee nodded, which made the merchant visibly relax. "Good, she's safe. Where is she?"

Bandana Dee winced. "Robin will come find us in a bit. He was still taking care of the bandit when I left, and I'm sure he'll have her with him."

Anna smiled at his reassurance. She turned back towards the window.

"Teach is glad you're all here now. I'm ready to educate these idiots, and it'll be easier with backup," Vaike said. "Did Robin send you with a plan?"

"No, I did not," Robin's said, appearing behind the twins. Popo jumped with a small yelp. With a pointed glance at Bandana Dee, he added, "Glad I got here before you tried anything."

"Hush!" Anna quietly insisted before poking her head out the window. "They're all out there, and I'd rather they don't know where we are."

"Delibird!" The birds quiet cry caused Anna to perk up. She and Bandana Dee turned to see the bird that Robin had freed just beside him. The bird and Anna looked at each other gleefully.

"Deli!" The merchant exclaimed, forgetting her own volume. She lowered herself to the ground with her arms wide open. The bird gladly jumped at her. "Thank Naga you're okay, Delibird! I didn't get paid nearly enough to lose you."

Delibird pushed away from Anna's hold just enough to cross her arms. Anna's grin turned sheepish from the wordless scolding. Bandana Dee felt his little heart warming at the sight. Not enough to forget Dedede.

"This is your associate, then?" Robin asked, a small grin on his face. Anna looked up from her spot, and nodded.

"Your friends okay, now where's Dedede?" Bandana Dee asked. "Have you seen him?"

Anna grimaced. "No. Not yet. They're getting excited about something out there, though."

"Well, let's go find him!" Bandana Dee demanded. He took a step before Robin cleared his throat.

"Not like that, we won't. You're staying next to me, Bandana," Robin ordered. "Anna, Vaike, you're going to go search. The twins, Bandana and I will-"

There was a uproar out the window, drunken shouts that blundered through the used stonework, threatening to bring it crashing down on top of them. They all crouched low against the wall, Popo being pushed by his sister. As the cheers abated, Anna snuck another look out the window.

---

"Who wants to bet he's already out there?" Anna asked.

"No bet," Robin said. He approached the window to look himself. The bandits were scattered in a large courtyard, -Perhaps once a garden, judging by the enclosures- balancing themselves on worn chairs and rotted tables. Some took up seats on exposed sections of the wall, whilst others roamed around the yard chattering away, mug in one hand and a weapon hung over their back or on their belt.

In the distant edge of the yard, Robin saw two large men, or perhaps the same man twice. The only distinctive feature of either of the men was their hair. One had lighter brown hair, where the other's was thinner and darker. And between them was a firepit, with the earliest hints of a flame trying to find life in the cold.

Wriggling in his ropes, a few feet from the fire, was King Dedede. His eye was discolored an uninviting purple and swollen shut. A distinct bruise of a similarly color marked the back of his skull.

Dedede was trying to yell something at his captors, likely curses and rude phrases judging by from the anger on his face. Robin let out a curse himself as the captor with the lighter hair kicked the King, throwing him on his back. Dedede's surprised shout carried even over the amusement of the poachers.

"They're going to cook him, Robin!" Bandana Dee whispered, his urgency clear. It certainly wasn't helping him think. "We need to get him out of there!"

Robin brought his hand to his chin. Pikachu's paws were getting tighter on his shoulder. He was surveying the courtyard, trying to find any opening. He could see another way into the yard across the yard to his right, further South by the hall they had entered the fort from. The men were also largely inebriated, so he assumed their reflexes and judgement may be inhibited. They could have tried to rush them, had there not been... A quick count brought up seventeen men out there. No, they couldn't do that with only the eight of them. Not all of them at once.

He couldn't wait, either. King Dedede's life was at stake, and their window was closing. Otherwise, he might have held out until Frederick arrived with Chrom and the others, and they'd have blitzed through them to the bandit leaders together.

No, he'd need to draw some of them away first. He glanced around the hall and noticed the carpeting. He remembered the sheets that some of the the rooms had, old and new. He opened his palm still holding a ghost of the warmth from the flame. The start of a plan took form, and he had to smile as more layers fell atop it.

"Got it. Vaike, Twins, and Anna, grab the carpets, grab bed sheets, and anything flammable you can find. Bring it here," Robin started. He turned to Bandana Dee and pointed at him. "Find a way behind Dedede and hide. Don't get caught, stay hidden until we give you an opening. As soon as you're able to, you need to get him unbound."

"What are..." After a moment of processing the information Bandana Dee's eyes lit up fiercely. He nodded sharply, and took off down the hall, his spear at his hanging behind him. Robin was silently grateful that he even listened to the order.

Robin kept a close eye on the window as the others carried out his order. He was both unnerved and pleased that he couldn't see Bandana Dee at all, while he watched. At one point, a bandit passed by the window, forcing Robin to duck and press himself against the wall. He could hear the crunching of snow pass him by without a second thought.

Vaike was the first one back, carrying an impressive three chairs with sheets on top of them. Robin instructed him to break down the chairs, and line them up just off the wall as quietly as possible. Robin took the sheets and spread them across as well. He looked upon over his head and smiled. The ceiling was partially missing, and he readjusted the line to be as exposed as he could whilst remaining behind the wall.

He broke and scattered more when Anna returned with half of a table, still dry. He did the same when the twins brought him a portrait, though Anna looked resentful. He figured she would deal with it. She did agree to help them, after all. To finish it off, he ripped the curtains from the window. And with that, he ordered the remaining Shepherds and non-Shepherds back down the hall towards where they had initially entered the fort.

Robin took one last look out the window. The fire was starting to build in the fire pit, more and more smoke building. They'd even brought a pot out, which didn't look quite large enough. A fact which he could hear the men arguing about from his hiding place. Behind Dedede, Robin saw a flash of red and blue. Bandana Dee was in position, then.

"Pika?" His companion questioned as Robin pulled out his book. Just past the light flame spell he'd used earlier for light was the true fire spells. Fire? No, not if some of his pyre pieces were damp, it likely wouldn't even catch fire. Elfire sounded much more effective. Only real risk was the extra drain on him for the stronger spell. Or burning alive if he messed up. He lower himself to the ground on at the edge of the pile, and began to read. At least the incantation seemed simple enough. A call to the divine to make a fire larger than his earlier light, and fiercer than a regular Fire spell. So what if he hadn't cast a regular fire in his life so far as he could remember?

His poorly hidden nerves were held down, and his hand barely shook when the flame appeared in his open palm. His hissed in pain as soon as the flame appeared. Where with Thunder spells he could always feel the bolts dancing harmlessly on his skin when he held the spell, the heat from Elfire physically burned. He bit down on his tongue, and made a conscious effort to raise the fire higher of his palm.

Slowly the pile started to catch aflame, spreading along the pile. He stepped away. It didn't take much for him to tell that the flames weren't likely to hold as it was. Robin grimaced a took a deep breathe. In. Out. And he threw the Elfire from his hand. The smoke burned his eyes as he ran down the hall towards where the others had fled.

---

"Victor, darling, is someone else cooking something down there?"

"They might be. Not that they should. It'd be quite rude for them to try and overshadow your roast without permission."

Bandana Dee was feeling antsy. He could see the bindings behind Dedede's back, writhing and struggling to break free. He could hear muffled shouting, all of it angry and very much like the King of Dreamland.

And Bandana Dee had to wait patiently for help. The snow had stopped falling at some point after they entered the fort, giving the whole world a sense of stillness that only made him more antsy. But somehow, Robin was still trusting him to be sneaky, and it was more important now than before that he listened and so he sat there. No matter how much he hated it.

On either side of His Greatness were the bandit leaders. Victor, who had taken Dedede in the first place, and Vincent. From the way they talked, Bandana Dee figured it was pretty obvious that they were brothers.

As Vincent mentioned cooking, Bandana Dee noticed more smoke coming on the other side of the courtyard. Smoke was rising from behind even the fort's walls. Was that where he had run into Vaike and Anna? It very well could be. And if it was, that be the signal to move. But then... Where was Robin? Where were the others?

"You there. Yes, you darlings." That was Vincent. Bandana Dee's breath caught for a second, until he realized the poacher was pointing at a group of his own men. "Be a few dears and go check on that."

Four men got up, and headed for the smoke. The laughter and jeers only paused for a moment as the criminals were addressed by one of their bosses. He couldn't really make out most of the courtyard from where he was. He'd risked a lot to even get to his current cover - a broken pile of stone bricks that may or may not have been a wall at some point - which was just behind the leaders. Just behind Dedede.

"I think the water's hot enough, Vincent darling."

"I'm agree, Victor darling." One of the brothers picked himself up and turned to Dedede. The poacher took a step towards the king - Bandana Dee's King! - and laughed when Dedede tried to shuffle back. He didn't get far before Vincent started to reach to get a grip on him. Bandana Dee was about to jump out when a part of the fort collapsed.

Sediment flew up in a cloud of dirt, stone and ash, the pleas for help from the men trapped overshadowed by the sound of collapse, both of the stonework and the festivities. Vincent and his brother turned away, and started shouting orders. In the distance, Bandana Dee could hear the sounds of battle taking shape. Sounds of steel on steel, crackles of Robin's thunder magic flying threw the air, and declarations of 'Pikachu' and oddly enough, 'Delibird.'

It was his cue, without a doubt. Bandana Dee broke from his cover, and ran to his king. Dedede turned to him, his scream muffled by a rag in his beak. A glance told Bandana Dee that the brothers were thoroughly distracted.

"It's okay, Your Greatness. It's just me, your favorite minion," Bandana Dee offered. He put his spear down in the snow beside him and started tugging at the ropes binding the King's hands. "I'm going to get you out, but you need to be quiet."

The King grumbled at that in the unclear language of the gagged. The knots were really well done, tied off in little bow shapes. Without opposable thumbs - or even proper fingers- to speak of, this was giving Bandana Dee an incredible amount of trouble. Dedede started to grumble again, much more impatiently this time.

"Sh, your Greatness. If I get seen, you might be..." Dedede was nodding his head vigorously at something. "My... Spear?" Realization smacked Bandana Dee at once. "Oh!"

Bandana picked up his spear, and started to cut away at the rope with the pointed end. Someone shouted in the distance. One loop of rope snapped. Pikachu shouted his own name, and there was a surprised shout that was cut short. Someone fell into the snow. Another loop of the rope broke.

After a tense eternity of cutting through ropes, likely only a few minutes in reality, Dedede ripped his hands free of his restraints. His first order of business was to rip the rag from his beak and breath as heavily as he could.

"I'm a get those jerks," the King muttered weakly.

"You have to run, Your Greatness, before they-"

"Victor, darling, the bird broke free."

"I'll get it, darling. You deal with our other guests."

Bandana Dee's eyes went wide as one of the brothers strut towards them, holding his axe over his shoulder. He had a light smile on his face that one could almost mistake as friendly. Dedede had visibly stiffened, disarmed, tired and hungry. Bandana Dee took up his spear and jumped in front of the King.

"I've got this, Your Greatness. Get out of here!" Bandana Dee ordered. Dedede forgot his own station, far above Bandana Dee, and stood up and ran away as best he could.

"Ah, so you're how he got out. I couldn't even see you, darling," Vincent said. Or was this Victor? Yeah, this one was Victor.

"I'm pretty small, and I was hiding," Bandana Dee offered. "Why did you kidnap His Greatness."

Victor quirked a brow at the question. "His... Greatness? So that is real gold on his hat, then?" The criminal giggled at his 'joke.' "Harald would absolutely freak out over you, darling. He hasn't taken well to these creatures. As for your question... It was an accident."

Now Bandana Dee was confused. "You kidnapped my King... by accident?"

"Oh yes. Vincent and I got ripped off by a dreadful merchant in the city. Vincent told me to kidnap a bird with a red coat that walked around like a person. I just got the wrong bird." Victor shrugged off the mistake. "My brother got the right bird, so I thought we could still eat my bird. It all worked out for us anyway. I could see the merchant with your friends."

His king was taken... By accident? He was here, risking his life, over a mistake? No, he still was going to kidnap that other bird he and Robin saved. Anna hadn't seemed like a bad person so far, either. She would have gotten really hurt...

Bandana Dee spun his spear around his head, ending with the point between him and the bandit. It was a threat and a challenge. He could still hear Dedede struggling to find somewhere safe in the area vaguely behind him. And tracking someone in the snow wouldn't be too hard, even without someone as good as the twins. Bandana Dee had to hold his position.

Victor evidently took his challenge, charging at him with a ferocious battle cry. Bandana Dee back stepped the swing, taking the opening to poke at his opponent's arm. Victor barely seemed to feel it as he kicked out his boot to drive him away.

In most battle styles on the continent of Archanea, there was a clear advantage some classes of weaponry held over others. The average swordsman could outmaneuver an axeman. An average spearman could keep a swordsman at a certain distance and poke him down. But a spearman would be slowed a bit by his weapon of choice, and wouldn't be able to outmaneuver an axeman. Their spear could easily be cut in pieces, tossed aside by the doubtlessly larger axe-wielder, or even just fail to keep the axe user at their preferred safe distance.

Bandana Dee didn't have this problem. His spear was shorter than most, to compensate for his height. This allowed him more options to move. He was faster, which gave him the freedom to move as he wanted. Sure, he was unarmored and couldn't take a hit. But he didn't intend to take a hit.

Victor was learning this quickly, as again and again Bandana Dee was jabbing at his exposed legs or arms, and then wasn't there whenever he swung. For how certain he had seemed when he approached him, his face has been turning redder and redder. In embarrassment, and in rage.

After a particularly poorly ventured swing, Bandana Dee jumped onto the flat of Victor's axe and used his new platform to stab into Victors chest. Bandana Dee started to breath easier as the man who had taken his king fell to his knees.

Bandana Dee had jumped back to the ground after his attack. He looked up to see the spear stuck in the criminals ribs. He felt certain he'd won, a sentiment that must have reached his eyes. Victor snarled, and managed to surprise him with a punch.

Bandana Dee crashed into the snow a few inches away. He plucked himself out of the snow and crawled onto his back. Victor stood over him, ripping out his bloodied spear with one hand and throwing it to the ground. He didn't say anything as he brought his axe over his head.

And then he stopped. Surprise took over his face, which was turning... Blue? Bandana Dee crawled back a bit as Victor's body was encased in ice. All that was left of the man was a sculpture of ice, incapable of following threw on his swing.

"Thanks, Popo. Nana...?" Bandana Dee looked just behind the poacher to find neither one of the twins, but the bird he and Robin had freed.

"Delibird!" She told him.

"Oh. Thanks... Delibird." Bandana Dee leaned back in the snow. The sounds of fighting were still echoing in the courtyard, and he was certain he heard footsteps approaching him from behind. Still, his head hurt and a nap sounded wonderful.

---

When Chrom's group had arrived on the scene, Robin was proud to give a report on how everything had gone personally. They had captured three prisoners, Dedede was freed, and the rest of the poachers were dead. The only great loss was the part of the fort that had collapsed, and Bandana Dee might have gotten a concussion. Nothing that a construction crew, a healing staff, and time couldn't fix. He wasn't going to apologize for keeping everyone alive, and he was happy when Chrom didn't ask him.

In fact, the Prince had seemed thrilled with how he preformed. Before they had left the fort, Chrom had called him the 'Best minion ever.' As soon as Bandana Dee had awoken, Robin had told him what Chrom had said. He wasn't sure if the Waddle Dee was jealous of the declaration, or happy for him. A 'pout' was hard to read on a creature without a mouth.

He had felt bad when he found out that Bandana Dee had gotten hurt. Vaike had, of course, taken a few hits as well. Pikachu had misstepped in the snow at one point a twisted his foot. The mouse hadn't left his left his side since.

But Bandana Dee had been carried up to him by a starving, beaten Dedede. He had been so scared that the Bandana Dee had been dead, killed under his watch. This fear had echoed in the Kings eyes. And then Anna had brought her staff over and started working her magic. She had joked it was free of charge, of course. No one had really laughed until she announced he was still alive, and that was out relief more than for her joke.

When the Prince's party arrived on the scene, the three prisoners had already been corralled into the smaller yard where he and Bandana Dee had found Delibird. Together they had all agreed to bring the three bandits back to Qashliq to face the new reigning Khan's judgement. Argument or no, they had assaulted one of her guests. That couldn't go unpunished.

But now it was dark, and Robin was hungry. They had set up camp in a clearing off of the road. Three fires brightened the night, melting the snow around it. It was a small mercy that the snow hadn't started falling again. It had been a long enough day as it was. Even then, as everyone passed around bowls of stew before they tucked into their tents and cots, he had one last stop to make. He had been hoping to get it over with quickly, bowl of rabbit stew in hand, but he found himself sidetracked.

"Hey, Robin!" Anna called. Robin turned to face her with a smile, and approached the fire she sat by. He did not take a seat. "Did you hear?"

"What should I have heard?" Robin asked.

"Chrom offered me a spot in the Shepherds!" The merchant announced with a laugh. "I don't know what you told him, but it must have been flattering." She had finished with a sound that almost sounded like a purr.

"I'm not so sure about that," Robin returned belatedly. "I told him exactly what you did, and he thought the team could use your expertise. I was inclined to agree."

Of course, what she did was impressive, he'd thought silently. She had kept Vaike in line while they were investigating the fort. She had followed his orders perfectly. When they had stormed the courtyard, she had more than held her own, despite not being a soldier herself. Perhaps what Robin had been most interested in, and by extension Chrom, was her relationship with her 'associate,' Delibird.

In so many ways, it reminded him of how he fought alongside Pikachu. It wasn't exactly the same, as Anna and Delibird seemed much more apt to separating and doing their own things during the fight where Pikachu and Robin almost never separated. It gave the Shepherds an element of surprise, even in otherwise straightforward engagements.

But he wouldn't admit any of this to her face without a lot of forethought. He couldn't tell if she was flirting with him or that was just her being a merchant. He was pointedly trying to ignore it, either way.

"Why don't you have a seat right here, Robin?" Anna offered. "I know I'm getting cold just looking at you, and the fire's almost as warm as the company."

Robin flinched. Pikachu on his shoulder was eying the woman warily.

"I'm afraid I can't. I've got to check on something."

Anna snapped her fingers in dramatic lamentation. "Oh darn. Next time, then."

Delibird, from her place next to Anna, pushed the woman in mock disapproval. Robin walked away, shaking his head.

Robin stepped around the fires, skirting the edges of conversation as best he could from there. He laughed as Virion offered 'the conquering hero a seat by his hearth,' but declined. Chrom had offered him a spot as well, but he declined again. He nudged his head towards his destination, and after a moment, Chrom nodded and let him go. Sumia seemed happy enough with just the Prince's company anyway, Robin was happy to say. No need for him to muddy the waters.

Nana had also tried to wave him down. She and her brother had taken up seats on the extra wagon they were using to move the last poachers they had captured. Robin approached the twins tentatively.

"Hello, Mr. Robin," Nana greeted formally.

"Hi Robin!" Popo greeted loudly and very much informally. The bandits flinched, which filled Popo with no small amount of joy.

"Nana, Popo. What can I do for you?" Robin asked.

"Nothing, Popo just wanted to thank you for letting us tag along," Nana answered promptly.

"Right. Just me," Popo mocked with a roll of the eyes. Nana shot him a glare. Robin looked back and forth between the two of them curiously.

"Well, whichever it is, your welcome. I was happy to have you both along."

He'd meant that, too. The two of them had taken down Vincent with just the two of them. Robin had no idea how, but somehow the kids took the poacher's legs out from under them. From there they clobbered on him, and froze him. Just like Delibird had frozen the other brother.

Robin smirked as a thought tickled him. "I'm pretty sure Frederick doesn't share the sentiment."

"Oh yeah?" Popo asked, standing up. He cupped his hand around his hands. "You're not getting rid of us until we get home!" His shout reached across the clearing towards the knight in question. Robin could actually see him flinch. Nana's face was looking red by the time she hid it under her gloves. Which Robin found strange, since he hadn't seen her get any more than slightly annoyed at her brother before. Embarrassed was certainly new.

"Swinub!" Was the answer that came back, though not from Frederick himself. The swine had somehow grown attached to Frederick after he had parted from them, though the knight refused to explain why.

Robin's amusement as he walked away from the kids only lasted until he reached his destination. When Robin reached the overdone tent flap, which lit up the cleaning with its colors more than the campfires, he paused. He hadn't really talked to King Dedede yet. Why was he here, in front of the King's tent.

His promise to Meta Knight echoed in his ear. It hadn't even been much of one, just a vague warning to watch Dedede's behavior, and try to keep Dedede's petulant temper in check. And yet, when the King had started to shout and threaten the Khan at her own dinner, he hadn't known how to react. What to do. He didn't know Dedede at all, he'd realized, and the only comfort he had in failing to keep his promise was that Lissa had been similarly lost. It was a poor comfort at best.

The solution was obvious, but he was still intimidated all the same. So there he lingered, just outside the flaps. He could hear the King barking orders inside, or something akin to it. When Robin finally decided that maybe he should just step away, the flap opened. Dedede stared down at him, one eye blackened by bruises and his arm in a sling.

"What do you want?" The King demanded.

"I wanted to ask if you would like some company for dinner," Robin offered weakly.

This took the King aback, visibly throwing him off guard. Dedede crossed his free arm over his slung-up arm, and eyed the tactician scrupulously. Once more, Robin felt certain that this had been a bad idea.

"Pika pi?" The question seemed to calm Dedede a bit.

"I guess I'll let you have the gift of my company. Get in here." With that declaration, Dedede held open the flap of his tent and ushered Robin in. The Waddle Dees say in a circle near the center of the tent, holding berries and... Pastries?

"Where did you get cake?" Robin asked.

"Had it lying around," Dedede answered, taking a seat on an immaculate cot some distance from the circle. He presented a chest with a wave. Robin took a seat, finding the wood a bit chilly, but better than outside. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder. "So, what did you really want from me?"

Robin's brow quirked. " I'm not sure I understand the question."

"Don't lie to me," Dedede said without any real force. He still sounded exhausted. "None of you Ylisse people have talked to me first without having a reason."

"Okay. How's 'I'd like to get to know the King of Dreamland' for an answer?" Robin smiled lightly. Dedede's beak hung open for a moment.

"I don't believe ya."

Robin clicked his tongue. He dipped his spoon into his stew, hoping to find an answer. It didn't taste awful,

Bandana Dee walked over uneasily to join them, taking a seat on the fabric floor of the tent. A strange design, Robin thought, though he couldn't complain that his feet weren't grateful. The circle of Waddle Dees were also pretty happy about it, he'd bet.

"You don't believe me. Of course not," was the answer that Robin settled on. A bit of bitterness seeped into his voice. Dedede caught into it, and looked ready to "Let's lay it all on the table then. Truth really is, I promised Meta Knight I'd help you keep your temper up here. Yet when you lost it at Flavia's dinner, I had no idea what to do. You left because I couldn't do anything for you, and you got kidnapped because of it."

"So sit down, Your Greatness. Let's talk. Let's be friends," Robin concluded. "For your sake."

Bandana Dee stared at Robin with wide eyes. He promptly stood back up and walked away without having said a word. After an awkward moment where Robin thought he'd gone too far, Dedede leaned back and folded his arm over his chest.

"Fine, 'pal,' what do you want to talk about?" Dedede grumbled, stewing under having been told off so... amiably.

"Let's start with are you feeling okay?"

"I've been kidnapped, starved, and yelled at... What? Two, three times in the past day? Yeah, I'm fantastic." Sarcasm from the king, and not the friendly kind. Good start, Robin.

"Ah, I.. Guess I should have expected that answer," Robin mumbled. "Alright, how about... You ask me a question?"

Dedede stared at Robin incredulously. Robin took the oppurtunity to sink another spoonful.

"Okay... Why do you always have the mouse with ya?"

Robin swallowed the food in his mouth, and turned down to Pikachu, who was currently pillaging his pockets in search of food all his own. He pulled out a berry, leftovers they found from the poacher's camp.

"He's the only living thing that I know for sure knew me before I lost my memory," Robin answered. "It's the same sentimental reason I'm wearing this robe, even though it can't keep the snow out worth a damn." Dedede snorted at the swear.

"Pika?" Pikachu was looking up at him, a twinge of worry in his eyes. Robin patted his head with a smile.

"Of course, Pikachu here is a lot more useful. And much cuddlier."

The mouse practically squealed at the statement, and crawled onto his lap. It was a bit uncomfortable, given Robin wasn't exactly in a chair proper, but he let it happen anyway.

"I see. Your turn," Dedede offered, looking a bit less angry than he had been.

"Alright... Ah..." Robin snapped his fingers. "Why's Bandana Dee your favorite minion?"

"Ha!" The King's outburst silenced the tent. The circle of Waddle Dees turned to their King, shocked. A few had less than friendly glares beaming towards Robin. Not a popular question, although Bandana himself seemed overjoyed. Robin was very quickly regretting the question. That regret grew as Dedede actually answered it.

"He listens to orders better than the others. He fights better than the others. He has a reason for his loyalty, too."

"Oh?"

"He didn't always work for me. Used to be one of Meta Knight's crew. Then after one of Meta Knight's plans crash and burned, he left him and joined me," Dedede grinned. "That's why he works so hard. To prove he's my servant, and because he's got Meta Knight's obsession with being the best ingrained in him, too."

Robin's mouth hung open for a moment. That created more questions than it answered. He had that Dedede would forgive him taking an extra turn. "Wait, hold on. Worked for Meta Knight? I thought Meta Knight worked for you."

Dedede shook his head. "It's complicated." Silence hung over them. "Pinky is in charge more than me nowadays."

"No, Your Greatness!" One Waddle Dee shouted.

"We follow you!" Another insisted.

Dedede's laugh didn't reach his eyes. "I know that, don't you worry," he told them. "So, it's my turn right? And since you asked two questions, I get two!"

Robin shrugged his shoulders. Sounded fair enough to him.

"Who came up with that plan back there?" Was Dedede's first question.

"I did," Robin said. "Admittedly, I made it up as we went, but it worked out well. I hadn't even planned for the fort to collapse on them. I just wanted to distract them. Next question?"

"You did? Well... Thanks for that."

"Your welcome, Your Greatness," Robin returned, a genuine smile on his face. "and your other question?"

Dedede paused for a moment. "You got a thing for the princess?"

Despite the pause, it had come out with a casualness that didn't match the impact of the question. Robin struggled to keep his food in, the surprise nearly returning his broth to the soil. Pikachu caught his choking, and couldn't do more than stare as Robin nearly choked on it. He did manage to catch his breath. The taste of his soup returned in a ugly heap to his throat, Robin looked the King in the eye.

"Seriously?" Robin asked. "Not what I was expecting. Why the interest?"

"Hey! Answer the question!" Dedede pushed. "Then you get a question. Your rules!"

With a chuckle, Robin shook his head. "No, I do not. She's nice and all, but... I don't think she's my type."

Dedede looked oddly happy about this. Across the room, however, Robin saw Bandana Dee droop over somberly.

"So why did you want to know?" Robin asked.

"Bandana and I had a bet going on," Dedede laughed.

"Robin, I thought we were friends! Lie for me, just this one time! My dinner's at stake!" Bandana Dee shouted. "For your best minion buddy?"

With a shake of his head, Robin had to disappoint him. The night went on, Robin and the king going back and forth with questions ranging from personal to bizarre. Frankly, Robin had not had enough exposure to sweets to compare their subtle differences as Dedede for some reason hoped. Dedede, on the other hand, didn't seem to know a bloody thing that lined up with Robin's work. Still, they could get along well enough it seemed. By the time Robin returned to his own tent to lie down, he was surprisingly happy with having talked to the king. He'd seemed like he just needed someone to talk to without screaming.

---

For those of you that can remember my notes from last chapter, or even just in general, you know I've been having issues trying to figure out how to write King Dedede. I've been assured that I'm writing him just fine a few times, but something still felt like it was missing. I couldn't put my finger on it until I wrote that last conversation between him and Robin, but I've figured it out.

No one has approached him for a conversation in this story just to talk. Every single time someone has talked to Dedede, it has been out of necessity or because he forced himself into the conversation. Compare this to Meta Knight, who has spent the past four chapters establishing relationships with Emmeryn, Belisar, Sully, Libra and even to an extent Phila. Whilst the King's talk with Robin was originally just intended to get two Smash Brothers characters to actually talk for the first time, I realized it could double as a way to start pulling Dedede out of his antisocial prison.

I'd gone into these last two chapters with two resolute purposes.

1: Get Anna and Delibird into the Shepherds. I know it's earlier than when you get her recruitment Paralogues in the game, but it fit my timeline well. THe next chance I'd have really had to 'recruit' her wouldn't be until the Shepherds were next in Regna Ferox, and by that time it would have been a distraction and an uncomfortable brake in the pacing. I needed her or someone with a Pokemon in the story now. The Swinub that's now attached to Frederick's posterior doesn't count, as the Knight currently has no attachment to the thing.

2: Play with the Ice Climbers a bit. From the start, they weren't coming back with the Shepherds after the tournament. A few chapters ago, Raimi made the claim that they were her best warriors on the Longfort. I wanted to give them at least a bit of time to show off before they disappeared for a while.

As I wrote, plans changed a bit, and I didn't really to fulfill goal 2 to the extent I had originally intended, what with Bandana Dee and Robin pretty much taking over the rescue in a narrative sense.

All of that aside, by the Divine am I going to be glad to bring everyone back together next chapter, if only for a bit. I still have one more plan I need to set in motion next chapter, and now that I have Anna and Delibird I can get started on it. After that, chapter 11 will begin the conflict proper at last.

That said, it looks like it's going to be 2017 by the time you see Chapter 10: Birds of a Feather.

Update, New Years Eve 2016: I've come to a few decisions regarding this story, thus why this chapter's ending has been changed a bit from what I originally posted. When I had first put it up, I hadn't been happy with it, but I just wanted to put something up and move on. I had lost the... fun aspect by the last scene. Thus, the long break between putting this chapter up and the next. I want to bring that back, and as I'm finally returning to this story after a long break of not even looking at this story, thanks both to life and procrastination, I'm ready to return to it. Starting with changing the ending of this chapter dramatically, and removing the 'Ooo so evil' scene that had been there. I'm all for something hammy, but that was just distracting.

One decision I made is about a question I have since removed: who Robin will be 'shipped' with. I shouldn't have ever put it up to a popularity contest. It feels gross in hindsight, not that I'd look to my audience for guidance in this but that I was too lazy to try and make a decision for myself. You guys trust me, and I need to do the same. Although, because of my decision, how Robin's conversation with Dedede ends has also seen changes to it.

I thank you for your patience, this story ain't dead yet. Just hibernating.