Hey everyone! Just a little author's note: This is an OC-Insert fic. I'm doing my best to stick close to the original story of Xenoblade Chronicles and will be telling it in chronological order, while also including my character and including how she fits into the world of Xenoblade. I won't be changing much, just adding things, mostly. I thank you in advance for taking the time to read this. Feedback is appreciated.

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The battlefield raged. Soldiers left and right called out for a retreat. In the midst of the chaos, a dancing blue line of light streaked through robotic adversaries like scissors through tissue paper. The swordsman came to a halt as the last metallic monster came to a crashing defeat in front of him.

"They're advancing down our weak right flank…" Dunban smirked. "For a bunch of soulless machines, they seem to know a thing or two. But we'll see."

A breathless Dickson soon joined him, as did a wild-eyed Mumkhar and a grimacing Fenn.

"We've been given the order to retreat," Dickson remarked. The man fixed his bandana over his blonde ponytail a little more securely. "We're pulling the line back to Colony 6."

Fenn turned over her shoulder and shot an arrow over the scrapped machine they were using as cover. "That's where we're supposed to hold our last line of defense," she finished, ducking back down as a blast of plasma narrowly missed her. She blew a strand of brown hair out of her face. "Keep Colony 6 from getting worse."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Dunban sounded exhausted. "Anymore time spent hanging around here, and we're done for…"

"Count me in!" Mumkhar wheezed, looking around like a caged animal. His sunken eyes stared fearfully at the battlefield and the bodies of fallen comrades. "We gotta get outta here-"

"Or," Dunban interrupted, turning to face the fearful man, "we can stay and fight."

"What!?"

"Dunban, you can't be serious! It's suicide!" Fenn intoned after Mumkhar's surprised exclamation.

"We may die if we take a stand here, but staying gives us the chance to change our destinies," the Monado wielder continued. "We have the Monado. With this, the future is ours for the taking!"

Fenn stood to reach for Dunban's shoulder as he began to clamber out from cover, but Dickson beat her to it. "Stupid beast!" He spat, staring the man down as he yanked him back. "Your body can't take any more of the Monado! I can tell by just looking at you!"

"Getting short-sighted in your old age, Dickson?" Dunban shot back teasingly.

"Dunban, he's right! Look at you!" Fenn echoed, her friend's nonchalance setting her on edge. "You'll die if you stay here!" Her azure eyes were bright with concern.

"I'm fine. Don't worry, I'm still in control." His voice was confident, soft… but tired.

Dickson grunted reluctantly. "I should've known I couldn't talk sense into a beast." A small smile played around the corners of his lips as the archer's face set in grim determination. "Let's do this. I'm going with you; You'll need someone to drag your corpse home."

Fenn scoffed. "Oh, and if you die, who'll drag you back, old man?" She strung an arrow to her bow. "Don't think you're leaving me out of this. I'm coming too. If you die and I'm not there to avenge you idiots, I'll never forgive myself."

"As long as you both think you still have the strength," Dunban replied, smiling.

"Oi, you three!" Mumkhar spoke up, frantically gesturing. "We've been ordered to pull back! I'm leaving-"

"Well, I say you're coming with us!" Dunban leaned in close to his comrade-in-arms. "What would we do without those?" He nodded towards the shimmering claws Mumkhar wore as his pride and joy.

Fenn grinned, nudging him with her shoulder. "Come on, Mumkhar. It'll be fun."

"THE ENEMY'S SECOND WAVE!" A cry went up from a remaining defense force soldier. "IT'S APPROACHING!"

"Now or never, you lot," Dickson said, standing and fiddling with his rifle. "Let's show them what we've got. We'll give them a warm Homs welcome!"

"Let's put these Mechon six feet under!" Fenn added, rising beside her fellow warriors with her bow drawn, a feral smile causing the flashing plasma shots to catch her eyes in an odd way.

"Acknowledged."

The three were away and into the battle, leaving Mumkhar behind. None of them heard the words he was muttering to himself as he launched into the fray.

The four Homs fit like clockwork in a chaotic battlefield. While other soldiers ran or fell in the line of duty, the small band of heroes continued to bring down wave after wave of Mechon. Heaps of scrap were all that was left in their wake.

"Fenn! Watch your back!"

The air sang as Dickson's powerful shot rent the impending mechon asunder. The woman turned back and grinned, the gash on her cheek oozing blood. "Thanks, Dickson. I was more focused on my-'' she grunted, aiming a kick at a Mechon then loosing an electrically charged, Monado-enchanted arrow into its chassis, "-front!"

She turned to see Dunban slashing through towering machines, cleaving through them like a Homs possessed, the Monado leaving a glowing blue trail of light in its wake. Her attention was snapped away momentarily by a small flying mechon harrying her with its gun, but a well-shot arrow ended its attempt at taking her life.

A cry from behind her caused her to turn and stare, wide-eyed. Dunban was on his knees, atop a pile of mechon. The Monado sparked and fizzed in his hands. Volts of blue crawled their way over his exhausted body like snakes, and he fought for breath through the pain.

"Dunban!" Dickson and Fenn cried in unison, both rushing to help him. Two mechon were approaching the vulnerable swordsman with the very lights of hell dancing in their artificial eyes. Dickson dived in front of one, its blade catching him in the back. Fenn's silver arrows pierced the other, sending it staggering as projectile after projectile lodged in its metal hide.

"I ain't goin' down that easy," The old man spat, turning over with a grunt to impale his attacker and clamber over its corpse. "Dunban!" Dickson wheezed, blood beginning to soak through his shirt. "Are you alright?"

"What does it look like?" Dunban gasped, looking up at him with a smile. "I'm still good to go." Dickson slung the kneeling warrior's arm over his shoulder and helped him stand while Fenn covered them from behind, rolling her eyes at Dunban's casual disregard for his own health.

"If you're sure, we have more on the-" Fenn began, but stopped when a gravelly laugh ripped through the air and assaulted her ears.

"Guess even a hero's got to reach his limit eventually!"

"Mumkhar! Wh-what are you doing?!" Dunban's incredulous cry caused Fenn to turn around, bewildered as she watched the clawed coward fleeing the scene.

"Sorry brothers! Hate to drop this on you but it's the Monado they're after!" the traitor said, and Fenn glared. "So have fun keeping them occupied for me! I'll be getting the hell outta here!"

"Mumkhar, you dirty-!" Dickson began.

"Oh don't worry! I'll organize your funerals!" The last sentence was punctuated by a laugh and Fenn's hands clenched tighter around her bow, shaking with anger. "See ya, boys!"

"COWARD!" She cried at his retreating back.

"Wait-!" Dunban tried, but it was too late. He had already turned his back and fled.

An explosion sent the three remaining Homs scattering to the ground. Somewhere between the ringing in her ears and the sound of her own wheezing breath, Fenn heard Dickson growl "If this is a joke, it ain't funny. At least we know our lot can't get any worse."

The night sky enveloping the archer's vision faded in and out of focus as she struggled to remain conscious, to get up, to help. She must have been closer to that explosion than the other two. She groaned.

"Dickson, take care of Fenn and the other survivors."

"Dunban, what are you playing at?!"

The surrounding valley lit up as Dunban's spirit fueled the Monado, and Fenn lifted a woozy head to see his silhouette, crackling with energy as he rose and brought the blade of light in preparation for the coming conflict. "Vile mechon…. If you think the Homs and the people of Bionis are just waiting here for you to pick us off, you are sorely mistaken!"

His war cry echoed around the valley as the light grew brighter, blinding, and Fenn's head thunked back on the ground as the stars finally faded to full black and she passed out, knowing only oblivion.

. . . . . . . .

A deep rumbling brought Fenn out of the dregs of unconsciousness. She opened an eye and tried to sit up, but a firm hand pressed her gently back down. "Oh no you don't." That was Dickson's voice. "You're concussed, and I ain't letting you move around on a transport just to throw your equilibrium out the window even more than it is already."

"Dunban… where's Dunban…?"

"Alive, but barely. Couple stretchers over from you." Dickson lit a cigar casually. "Damn beast charred his arm. Might never be able to use it again, but he'll live, probably. Monado's fine, too."

The world spun and colors that shouldn't be there churned in Fenn's vision. She shut her eyes against the rising nausea. "Th-the mechon… Mumkhar…. he … did we… what happened...?" Her tongue felt like it had a lead weight tied to it and chills wracked her body. "B-bionis…. It's cold…"

"Worse than I thought, then…." Dickson's rough palm felt her forehead and her face. "You've got a raging fever." The blonde sounded concerned for the first time. With a grunt, he stood and walked over to a metal chest. Other defense force soldiers cleared the way for him as he removed a thick blanket from it. Uncharacteristically gentle hands spread the soft covers over Fenn's trembling frame as the medical transport rocked back and forth gently. It was almost soothing, and would have been, if it wasn't also mind-bogglingly nauseating.

"Mumkhar…" Dickson paused bitterly, sitting back down and blowing a puff of smoke. "He never made it back. Killed by the mechon. One of the retreating soldiers saw it happen." He laughed ruefully. "It's what he deserved really. Cowardly swine." Another long pull of the cigar caused the end to light up bright orange before the embers died down and Dickson sent a stream of cloudy blue-grey spiralling up to the metal roof. "We drove the mechon back. The colonies are safe for now."

Fenn opened her eyes and turned to stare at Dickson. "And… and Dunban's…."

"Alive and just over there, Fennwild."

"Right… right…." Fenn nodded, then winced. "D-Dickson..?"

The man grunted in response.

"Colony 6… the people… anyone else we know….? How many…?" The delirium made it hard for the Homs archer to form words, but Dickson seemed to understand.

"A few. Otharon's fine. Man's practically indestructible by now. He got most of the civilians out."

"Good…." Fenn managed a smile. "Think I'm gonna… I'm gonna catch a few more winks…. Maybe forty…" she trailed off, eyes drooping. "I'm…. I'm very tired…"

"Come on," a sharp elbow caused her to gasp as her eyes opened. "We should be almost there. No sleeping until we get you looked at by someone who actually knows what they're doing."

"No nap…?" Fenn mumbled, and Dickson shook his head.

"Not a chance. Not letting you slip into a coma on my watch."

"But... "

"Don't you 'but' me, lass." Dickson leaned back against the seat. "You've got people back in 9 who care about you. Shulk, Reyn, and Fiora wouldn't like it much if you never woke up again."

"I wouldn't fall asleep forever, Dickson…." Fenn grumbled grumpily. "I just want some sleep…"

"And I told you that you ain't getting any until we get there."

"Stubborn ass…" came the mumbled reply as another spasm of chills sent Fenn trying to burrow deeper under the covers.

With a slow groan and a soft jerk, the transport came to a stop and the back door slid down to form a ramp that touched the ground. Light streamed in and Fenn winced as more unwanted colors and brighter lights than her gloom-accustomed eyes wanted to see flooded her senses.

Dickson was the first off the transport and was immediately approached by three nervous-looking youths as soldiers carried Fenn out on a stretcher, followed by Dunban on the same setup.

Dunban was conscious, but barely, his energy spent to the point where all he could manage was a whisper. Fenn managed to catch the worried voices of her favorite Colony 9 kids, but couldn't discern their words. She stared blankly up at the blue sky above her as medics rushed out to meet the wounded and help ease their pain. The world faded in and out again, concerned faces battling for her attention against the dark.

She was… in a room now. A room in Colony 9. Medical ward. How did she get here? Wasn't she just on the bridge? A cool cloth was pressed against her forehead as blankets were tucked tightly against her shivering frame. Familiar black locks and concerned hazel eyes wreathed in thick spectacles greeted her. "M-Merin… Dunban…. Where-?"

"Hush now, Fenn," the medic soothed, reapplying a cool cloth to the prone warrior's skin. "Dunban's being looked after by Kleon and Fiora. Don't you worry about him."

"Mechon… were there any here…?" Not even a concussion could stop Fenn from worrying about her home and the people she fought to protect. "How many…? Did everyone…. Oh…. my head…" rising nausea, a spinning room, and a pounding headache caused her to shut her eyes tightly with a groan.

A soft smile was aimed in her direction by the busy woman. Merin sighed. "A few. The defense force got most of the people out. That, however, is not your concern. What is your concern," the matronly woman added sharply, "is staying still and getting some rest."

"I'm allowed to nap…?" Fenn asked in a slightly confused haze. "D-dickson said-"

"Dickson isn't the one taking care of you now, is he?" The interjection was stern as the medic crossed her arms. "You're here in the care of professionals. I am giving you the permission- nay, the order -to sleep yourself out."

There were no characteristic words of protest, no insistent statements of "I swear I'm fine" from Fenn. All she could muster was a groggy nod as the thick silken tendrils of the void began to pull her back under at Merin's gentle touch.