Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Also, the OC Lt. Garland belongs AIYF Productions, who was kind enough to let me use him in this fic. Also, credits to X the Reaper for helping me develop the OC EA.

King of Beasts Productions Present:

The Legend of Falcom: Into the Western Continent!

Chapter 4: The Journey South

In a Valley South of Lillian...

"Spread out!"

Falcom's command was promptly obeyed as the rest of the party went separate directions as they avoided getting scorched by the breath of an Ancient Dragon.

"Remind me how it got to this point?!" Bungie called out as she hid under the cover of a particularly large rock.

"I may have led us the wrong way." Vanille sighed as she hid beside the Leanbox Agent. "My scrying is quite rusty, you see."

"I thought you knew where they were!" Nisa called out as she hid somewhere else.

"I know the name of the place, but where it is still a little hazy in my mind." The Lastation Sorceress replied rather non-chalantly.

"C'mon, don't fight..." Plutia pouted while she and her sister found cover as well.

"We can hash this out after we take this monster down!" Falcom called out as she would be the first to exit her hiding place, Dragon Slayer drawn. "Cover me!"

"Affirmative! Loading ordinance!" Bungie responded by pulling an RPG from out of nowhere. She took aim at the massive beast, locking it in her sights before she fired.

"Eat this!" she roared as the payload flew, striking the dragon in the chest. The explosion scratched it a little, forcing the beast back a step.

"Your little toys are good and all, but they pale in the face of true magic!" Vanille declared proudly as she raised her staff. "Come forth, my Graveryl!"

She slams her staff unto the ground, a magic circle forming underneath the dragon as chains with red jewels at their tips began to constrict the reptilian's movements.

"Thanks, you two!" Falcom leaped unto the air, her Dragon Slayer glowing as she slammed it onto the creature's neck. While it managed to leave a sizeable cut, it didn't go all the way through. The beast roared as it attempted to snap it's jaws at the swordswoman, but the chains that restricted it as she leaped back caused it to miss it's attack.

"Damn, it's got a tough hide!" The red-headed warrior grits her teeth as she plants her sword onto the ground to blade brake.

"You did good, Falky! Leave the rest to me!" The alternate Sadie, her real name Saturn, was already running in while she charged her sword with lightning. "RRAH!"

She struck the Ancient Dragon on the chest, leaving a gash and causing it to roar in agony. It continued to thrash against the chains, which seemed to tighten the more he struggled. However, one could see the concerned expression on Vanille's face.

"If you have a plan, you need to execute it soon* The Lastationite mage grimaced as she saw the chains begin to creak. "It cannot be held forever."

"Then allow me to end it!" Nisa leaped into the air and began to unleash a hail of knives upon the dragon. "JUSTICE KNIFE!" The beast roared once more as it felt knife after knife cut into it's skin.

"I'm not done!" The dragon looked up, as did everyone else, in utter shock when the self-proclaimed Heroine of Justice pulled out a giant penguin and hurled it at the dragon. The resulting explosion that followed forced everyone to look away.

"Is it over?" Falcom asked as the dust settled. Sure enough, the beast was no more, leaving only some bits and pieces that constituted as "loot".

"Another victory for Justice!" Nisa pumped her gloved fist in the air triumphantly.

"Hooray~!" Plutia did the same, while Saturn chuckled.

"Good job, everyone." Falcom smiled as she kept Dragon Slayer in it's usual guitar case. "That was a pretty good work out, all things considered."

"Anyway we can get back on our road?" Nisa asked Vanille.

"With a little scrying, we can go back to our usual route." The mage smiled as she brought out her map.

"Let me help with that." Bungie added as she pressed a button on her wrist. "Qortala, you there?"

In response, a blue woman with a bob cut hair cut about Histoire's height appeared from the mini-projector on Bungie's wrist, yawning as she was awoken from a nap.

"I'm here, I'm here..." The tiny girl stretched her body. "You really are a slave driver, Bungie."

"Is that a fairy?" Plutia asked while blinking, staring at the tiny woman in wonder.

"I'm no fairy. The name's Qortala, an A.I developed to assist this grumpy woman I call my master!"

"She makes my missions...interesting, to say the least." Bungie offered a brief assessment of the A.I before turning to Vanille. "Have you figured out what our route should be?"

"Give me a moment." Vanille closed her eyes, concentrating as she hung a jeweled pendant on the map. After a moment, the pendant pointed southwards, to the outskirts of an industrialized city near the mountains. "There. The Resistance's base is right there."

Bungie looked over Vanille's shoulder, then turned to the floating blue A.I. "Can you get me the coordinates of this location, Qortala?"

"Phsaw! Pretty easy for an A.I like me!" Qortala closed her eyes for a few seconds to concentrate, then opened her eyes after. "Done! If we continue southwest, we should be able to reach this city by tomorrow evening."

"Excellent work, Qortala." Bungie nodded. "You can go back now."

"I expect a reward later on! Until then, Qortala out!"

The A.I vanished back into the soldier's wrist, leaving them alone once more.

"So southwest it is." Nisa stated the obvious.

"Indeed, but look." Vanille pointed to the sky, the dull orange glow that permeated it a telling sign that it had already begun to set. "Evening will soon be upon us. It's not a good idea to travel through the night."

"I agree." Falcom nodded as the sorceress rolled up her map. "It's almost dark, and we're all exhausted after a day of traveling and fighting that monster. Let's set up camp here for tonight."

"Sounds like a plan." Bungie nodded as she unfastened her helmet. "Alright, prepare to set up camp, then."

"You can leave the cooking to me." Vanille smirked as she pulled out an apron from her magic satchel. "With that dragon meat we just got, I can whip up a meager feast."

"Nisa and I will gather firewood." Falcom declared, then turned to Saturn. "Will it be too much to ask if you and Plutia gather some herbs we may need for cooking?"

"Heh, so you have the audacity to order me around...I like it." Saturn chuckled as she took her younger sister's hand. "Consider it done, Falky~!"

"I will help Vanille with preparing our meal." Bungie declared. "As a soldier, I've been trained to feed off the land around me to survive. As a cook, I can do as much."

"Alright, we have our assignments." Falcom nodded to the others with a confident smile, to which they nodded back. "Let's move out!"


Much later, evening had made it's arrival and our heroes were sitting around the campfire, enjoying a delicious roast dragon on a stick using the herbs Saturn and Plutia collected, all cooked with the help of Vanille and Bungie.

"This is so good!" Nisa exclaimed jubilantly, her mouth filled with roasted meat that fell off the bone.

"It's soooooo delicious, Vanille~!" Plutia added with a wide smile

Saturn smiled as she took a bite, savoring the taste. "I agree. You're quite knowledgeable when it comes to cooking, Vanille."

"Thank you, but I had help." The mage giggled modestly "Besides, if one thinks about it, cooking and create potions and spells follow the same processes and require the same amount of experimentation. I just applied what I learned from these forays."

"That's still pretty impressive, being able to cook like that." Falcom added. "It always helps to know how to cook while traveling. It gives you energy while on the road!"

"Speaking of traveling," Bungie would add as she began to heat water for her tea. "What have you learned so far with the Resistance, Vanille? Any information that could help us read the enemy's movements?"

"Straight to the point, you military types." Vanille giggled. "Fufufu...Very well, I will indulge you." She took a deep breath, seeing that everyone in the camp fire were listening intently, then she began her report. "I'm sure that you already know that this land is suffering under the Empire's rule?"

"Indeed." Saturn spat in disgust. "While the upper class swine live it up in the more affluent cities like the capital, us hard-working folk in the outer rim work to the bone while we still somehow get taxed heavily. I have the right mind to march there myself and give those pigs a good punishing!"

"As expected of one who had lived in the frontier towns." Vanille nodded before continuing. "At any rate, you are right on those two points. As those who live in the middle and lower classes suffer from the heavy taxation, those in the elite live luxuriously. In addition, freedom of speech is sadly in decline here, as even the slightest criticism of the Empire and it's rules often lead to imprisonment. I have heard the stories; Too often the Imperial Police showed up in one's doorstep to drag him or her away from his or her family."

"Unforgivable..." Nisa gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "Such an affront to justice..."

"I understand what you're feeling, Nisa, but calm down." Falcom placed a hand on her friend's shoulder before continuing. "And I assume that's why this General Blizzerd defected to the Resistance?"

"Indeed." The Sorceress nodded. "He too has had enough with how the Empire ran things. He initially believed that he could change it from within, but after he discovered the truth regarding this continent's CPU, he believed that nothing short of a revolution would change things."

"I've been meaning to ask that," Falcom chose this moment to interject. "Exactly what happened to the CPU of this land? From what I've heard, she ruled the land long before the Steam Empire came to being."

"And what a glorious time it was." Saturn threw her two cents in.

"Yeah..." Plutia added. "What made her leave?"

"Blizzerd did not give too much details on that end." Vanille admitted. "But he did say this: Over one hundred years ago, the CPUs Oracle had ousted her from her position. And that Oracle is the current Emperor, Valve."

"Wait, what?!" Falcom's shock was understandable, as the CPUs were literal goddesses. "How was he able to pull THAT off?!"

"I was quite surprised as well to hear that." Vanille commented. "When I had asked Blizzerd, he told me that he didn't know so much himself. However, he quickly surmised that the Emperor drew power from the Share Refineries located in various towns."

"What ARE these Share Refineries, anyway?" Bungie interjected. "It sounds to me that this Valve can somehow tap into Share Energy just as CPUs do."

"He can, according to Blizzerd." Vanille affirmed with a nod. "And these Refineries are how he pulls it off. I'm not sure how he is able to, or what these Refineries run on, but we can only face him in battle once these Refineries have been destroyed."

"And what about the CPU?" Falcom asked. "Is she-?"

"Rest assured, she is alive and well. Not as strong as she used to be, but alive nonetheless." Vanille answered with a reassuring smile. "She's in the Resistance Headquarters with Blizzerd and the others, so we will be able to meet her when we get there."

"Sounds like a plan." Falcom nodded with a smile. "Alright, you guys can go and get some rest, I'll take first watch."

"You sure, Falky?" Saturn asked as the other prepared to turn in.

"I'm sure. This discussion's given me a lot to think about, anyway. I won't be able to sleep until I sort them all out."

"Quite diligent of you." The blue-haired woman smiled. "Very well. I'll come relieve you when it's my turn, all right?"

"Alright." Falcom sat on the log, her Dragon Slayer in front of her and planted on the ground. "Get some rest, everyone. We have a long day of travelling tomorrow."


Military Barracks, the Capital.

"Welcome back, General Bethesda, sir!"

The armored Lion of the Empire had made hasty return to the Capital using the skill she had learned as Dragon Birthed known as "Fast Travel", the ability to traverse long distances rather quickly outside of combat. She turned to see that she was greeted with a salute by a young man with brown hair and eyes, clad in the black and white military uniform of the Imperial Army that hugged his slim build. His side-arm was holstered on his belt, and the badge on his chest showed that he was a lieutenant, an officer that commanded respect, who had been assigned to Bethesda as her aide.

"Well met, Lieutenant Garland." The General nodded as the man eased up. "I take it you're here to inform that the other Lions are waiting?"

"Yes Ma'am!" Garland nodded. "Even Blizzerd's replacement will be attending the briefing."

"They found one so quickly?" Bethesda blinked in surprise, considering that Blizzerd was a formidable officer who could not be so easily replaced. "Nonetheless, lead on. I wish to swiftly give my report."

With a nod, Garland led Bethesda to the War Room, where the other Generals were waiting.

"Took you long enough!" On one part of the round table that centered the dimly lit room was a man with spiky black hair and a stubble clad in a fur lined coat, a white shirt under it, and jeans and sneakers. In his mouth was a cigarette he was smoking without reservations.

"How many times have I told you not to smoke during briefings, Rockstar?" Bethesda sighed deeply.

"You know that ain't gonna work. I do what I want!" The man chuckled as he pressed his spent cigarette on the table...or was about to when a knife flew and pinned the cig to the wall. "Hey, what the hell, Ubisoft?!"

"Such brazen behavior is not one befitting a General, Rockstar." Said General, a slim woman clad in a white hood that covered her features save for the raven black hair and brown eyes that peered beneath it as well as the smirk. "If anything, it only proves just how inept you are."

"You...!" Rockstar growled as he brought out a pair of Uzis that he aimed at Ubisoft. "Why I oughta-!"

"That's enough." Bethesda spoke abruptly, stopping both parties from acting out the inevitable chaos. "There WILL be order in this briefing. Do I make myself clear?"

Garland noted that she did not need to raise her voice. Her sheer presence and formidable aura were enough to cow her peers into submission. They knew this the moment they peered into that cold gaze of hers.

"My apologies, General Bethesda. It will not happen again." Ubisoft apologized as she kept the knives she drew out.

"Yeah, sure." Rockstar grumbled as he kept his guns.

"Good." Bethesda nodded as she turned to addressed the arriving last two Generals; the ever silent Nether, clad in a yellow and black ninja outfit that fit her curves quite well, and a man who Bethesda assumed was Blizzerd's replacement. He was clad in a black buttoned shirt that he wore under a white trenchcoat that had the letters E and A in blue font. He had slicked back black hair and wore shades as well as black gloves. He also wore black pants and shoes to complete the ensemble. The other Generals only needed one look at that smirk of his to tell that he was quite smug and full of himself. They also knew that he must have SOME level of skill in leadership, otherwise he wouldn't have been promoted.

"So this is what a Five Lions meeting looks like. Quite livelier than expected." He chuckled before turning to Bethesda and offering his hand. "Greetings! My name is EA, and I hope you and I will work splendidly together, General Bethesda."

"...Charmed, I'm sure." She shook his hand, the man later noting that she had quite the grip, before motioning the other Generals to take their seats. "Now that all that has been settled, let this briefing of the Five Lion Generals of the Glorious Steam Empire commence!"

End Chapter 4


Nepstation Time!

Neptune: Ladies and Gentlemen! After months of sitting around and watching KOB be busy with other projects, we're back with this latest edition of the Nepstation!

*Pauses for the applause*

Neptune: Just a quick announcement: As of this chapter, I'll be joined by a new co-host. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet my new partner; Lastation's Lonely Heart: Noire!

Noire: WILL YOU JUST CUT IT OUT WITH THE LONELY ACT?!

Neptune: Alright, alright...Anyway, let's meet our next guest for this chapter: The first of the many, MANY OCs to come, Leanbox's resident super soldier, Agent Bungie!

*Audience applauses as Bungie enters and takes her seat*

Noire: So good that you can join us, Bungie!

Bungie: The honor is mine, Ladies Neptune and Noire.

Neptune: Anywho, what's your thoughts on this chapter?

Bungie: Not much went on. There was one fight scene, but it was mostly exposition explaining the world we were thrust into. Considering that this is a land not like our own, it helps shape the world that is the Western Continent.

Noire: I can't believe it got that bad there, though...

Bungie: Indeed. To think that their CPU had been ousted like that...

Neptune: I'm sure it'll turn out alright in the end. I mean, the story's just started after all.

Noire: True. Anyway, what are your opinions of the other four Lions?

Bungie: Rockstar is quite obnoxious, while Ubisoft seems to be one of the more reasonable members of the Five. As Nether did not utter a line, I cannot form an opinion of her yet. As for EA...he's the one I dislike the most.

Neptune: Yeah, the guy DOES give off that vibe. Welp, that's all the time we have! We'll be seein' ya next chapter, where Noire and yours truly will finally make an appearance~!

Noire: It's a small part, but it can't be helped; it's Falcom's fic after all. That being said, we'll see you readers next time!


A/N: Well...Noire and Neptune pretty much addressed a lot of the things I wanted to say. Credits to AIYF Productions for letting me use his OC PFC Garland (though I promoted him to Lieutenant ) and X the Reaper for helping develop the OC EA. If you're a fan of Fate/Stay Night (I know I am), check out his fics. They're amazing! All right, I've said what I wanted to say. Please leave a review when you're done reading. I'd love to hear your feedback. Until then, see you all next time!

Next Time on The Legend of Falcom: Into the Western Continent: The Room Where It Happens!