Disclaimer: These are works of purely speculative fiction. It is not intended to infringe on any rights by any of the companies and/or individuals involved in the production of any series mentioned here. Fate Grand Order and all the franchises and series associated with it, are owned by Kinoko Nasu, Notes Co., Ltd. and their affiliates. Similarly, Fire Emblem Heroes is owned by Nintendo Co., Ltd. and their affiliates.
I DO NOT OWN THESE FRANCHISES.
Sister Fanfic: Serious Side Reels - A Grand Order of Heroes Side stories
*Tik tok tick*
The clicking sounds made by the inner mechanisms of a clock could be heard in the silent room. The predictable sound patterns served as a comfortable medium for Sieg to relax as he focused on his book.
He sat peacefully in front of his desk, flipping a page every few minutes or sipping a bit of his tea.
His enhanced ears could pick up even the moat minute of sounds around him, so he was not surprised when he heard the distinct clacking of high heels getting closer to his room. His room was located near a busy hallway, so he frequently heard these sounds from time to time as they made their way across the hall.
He paused his reading when he heard the clacking come to a stop, right by his door.
That was odd. Why would they stop?
Suddenly, the wooden doors of Sieg's room slammed open, startling him from his studies.
Sieg's head moved towards the door and he stared at the intruder with alarm and fear.
He saw a woman dressed in a black professional office dress with a short skirt, paired with long semi-transparent stockings with intricate designs sewn on them. That was as far as Sieg could describe, as he immediately moved his eyes upward and kept his gaze fixed on her intense purple eyes respectfully.
His eyes had managed to catch a faint hint of green hair behind her legs during the brief time he stared at them, and considering who was in front of him, and the scent of divinity and dragon in the air, it was most likely Sothis. Although he couldn't tell what the petite woman was doing, he could still feel her eyes staring into him.
"Is there something I can help you with, Byleth?" Sieg asked.
The woman's emotionless eyes stared deeper into his soul for the next minute, causing Sieg to squirm slightly in his wooden chair. Then, after what seemed like ages, the dark blue-haired professor finally spoke. "Come with me," Byleth said in a stern voice.
Sieg was taken aback. He had never seen Byleth like this before. "Why?" he asked.
Byleth narrowed her eyes before she stepped into his room, her arm reaching to the side as if she was going to grab something. Sieg immediately stood from his seat, but as soon as he stood up, Byleth closed the distance between them in seconds and put a black bag over his face. Then, he felt his body turn weightless as Byleth threw him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"Byleth! What the heck!? What are you doing?! We were just supposed to fetch him!" he heard Sothis scream, and he couldn't help but agree with the goddess, as he had no idea what was going on.
"But that's what I'm doing?"
"Put him down! Now!"
Sieg felt Byleth's shoulders rise in a shrugging motion before he was placed on the ground. The darkness went away, and now he was staring at emerald eyes looking at him with concern, the concern only a mother would have for her child when he made a mistake.
"Are you okay, Sieg? I'm so-so sorry this brick-for-brains manhandled you like that."
He didn't know what was going on, but he saw that she was genuine.
"I'm okay."
"Ah, good, good. Now, with that out of the way," she placed both of her delicate hands on his shoulders and stared at him with a determined expression on her face. "You are coming with us."
"...pardon?"
0-0-0
As it turned out, the reason why he had been dragged out of his room by Byleth and Sothis was because Sieg's prior conversation with Tiki had concerned her, and she decided to try and get him to mingle with more people and make friends. They had many places in mind to take him, but they ended up taking him to the world of Revelations and were showing him around Hoshido's capital.
To be fair to Tiki, she had a point. Sieg spent much of his time by himself, either in his room, looking at the flowers in the gardens, or eating in an isolated corner of the Mess Hall.
Sure, his friends and former adversaries were present in Chaldea, but, much like Jeanne, he preferred to keep his distance as they technically weren't the same people he knew.
Byleth was apparently someone who had similar issues to him and had been invited to the meetup. Nowi, a petite manakete and friend of Tiki's, was also present. She looked a lot like a child but apparently was already over a thousand years old and was a mother.
Oh, and her daughter Nah was also part of the group. The young manakete was walking a few steps behind her mother as she bounced and skipped across the Hoshidan marketplace, looking at all the wares.
The only other guy in their group of women was Xander, who somehow got roped into joining them. Unlike Xander, however, Sieg was surrounded on all sides by the girls who were dragging him around, pointing out different stalls and shops, and asking questions about himself.
He answered all the questions truthfully and as best he could, although, if he had to be honest, he felt a bit overwhelmed due to all the attention he was receiving.
Even under all this sensory overload, Sieg could not help but feel surprised at how much he was enjoying himself. He had never really taken the time to explore a shopping center before. The smells of freshly baked bread and roasted meat filled the air, and the sound of vendors shouting their wares was a constant background noise. It was... nice.
"Hey, Sieg," Sieg was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Sothis's voice. When he turned his attention to her, he saw her holding a shiny necklace. "What do you think? Does this suit me?" she asked.
Sieg examined it for a moment before shrugging. "It looks nice."
"...anything else?"
"Hmmm... Oh, it's green. It matches your eyes. And your hair."
Sothis sighed. "You and Byleth are too alike."
Sieg tilted his head. "How so?"
"Your reactions. They are so monotone, so bland and emotionless at times. Even though you give occasional cute responses, whenever I hear you speak, I have to mentally remind myself that I'm speaking to you and not her."
"Sorry."
"You really need to work on that excessive apologizing you do. It loses its cute charm when you say it too often."
"Sorry."
"...Forget it." Sothis put the necklace back on its display and grabbed Sieg by his arm "Come on, let's go meet up with the others. I'm starving!"
Sothis and Sieg walked back toward their group, and they all collectively went to the nearby food stalls, with the aroma of sizzling meats and spices wafting through the air. Sieg's stomach grumbled hungrily as he surveyed the various dishes and later settled on some steamed dumplings being sold by a friendly grandma.
After they had eaten their fill, they continued on their journey, stopping to drop off their bags at the castle before heading out to the plains.
0-0-0
Sieg sat near the edge of a cliff on the Bottomless Canyon. He couldn't help but take in the surrounding scenery. The canyon was deep and treacherous, and its appearance was only exacerbated by the overcast sky above, but there was a certain beauty to it that he couldn't ignore.
Apparently, it served as a bridge between Hoshido, Nohr, and Valla, but according to the manaketes, it was wide and deep enough for them to comfortably fly in their dragon forms.
"Wheeee!"
It also had the best updrafts in all the worlds connected to Zenith, which made it an ideal place for flying. Based on how much fun Nowi was having, it had to be true. Sieg couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and awe as he watched the colorful dragon weave through the air with such grace and ease.
This outing may have been an unexpected turn of events, but he was grateful for the opportunity to forge new bonds and make memories that he would treasure for a lifetime.
He became so entranced and mesmerized by the aerial dance that he didn't notice Xander's presence until he took a seat beside him.
Sieg smiled as he watched Nowi finish her aerial display with a burst of fire.
"Whooo!" Suddenly, a second dragon, most likely Nah, charged into the fray and playfully tackled Nowi. Their forms descended, down, and down until they disappeared from Sieg's sight. Then, they soared back up, creating a strong gale of wind that pushed him back.
"Well, they seem to be having fun," Xander remarked.
Sieg nodded in agreement.
The blonde royal turned to Sieg with an inquisitive look on his face, "Aren't you going to join them? I heard you were a dragon as well."
Sieg shook his head. "I prefer to watch."
"If you say so." Xander seemed skeptical but chose not to press further. Silence fell between the two before Xander spoke up again.
"After the moment passed, Xander spoke again, "Say, Sieg, I know we don't know much about each other, but is it alright if I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"You have my thanks, and I apologize if this sounds too personal, but by any chance is your full name Siegfried?"
Sieg shook his head in denial. "No, Sieg is the name I chose for myself to honor Siegfried, but I am not Siegfried himself. Is there a reason why you wish to know about him?"
"It's mostly out of curiosity. Are you aware that Earth and Zenith have many overlapping naming conventions?"
Sieg nodded.
"Well, it just so happens that my sword is one of those things that shares an etymology with a legend on your world."
Xander drew his blade from his hip and showed it to Sieg, who immediately looked at the sword in wonder. He could feel a metaphysical link between himself and the sword, despite never having seen it before in his life.
"By any chance, is your sword named Siegfried?" Sieg asked.
"Why yes, indeed it is. It is a national treasure of Nohr, one of the five legendary weapons created by the Rainbow Sage," Xander said as he ran his fingers over his sword's scabbard.
"I was sparring with Karna the other day, and the topic of our weapons came up. I was curious about his spear as he was about my sword. When I told him the name of my sword, he pointed me towards a legendary hero who shared my sword's name. Intrigued by the coincidence, I did some research. I must say, Siegfried, your Siegfried, lives up to his legend."
Sieg nodded, understanding Xander's interest in his savior.
"After learning about his legend and adventures, I desired to meet the dragon slayer himself, but alas, he is rather elusive. That's why I've come to you. Karna has mentioned you as a reliable source who might point me in the right direction."
"Siegfried prefers to stay hidden and only materializes when he's needed. Since Master Gudako is rarely in any danger since coming here, he hasn't felt the need to appear."
"Ah, that makes sense. It's all the more admirable that he stands ready to protect his liege."
Although such loyalty and dedication led to Siegfried's downfall. Sieg doubted Xander knew this, and he felt it would be improper to share his savior's emotions with him.
Their conversation was then interrupted by the hyperactive Nowi.
"Come on, Sieg! Turn into your dragon form and come play with us!" Nowi begged as she glomped onto the green-haired boy.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Sieg hesitated.
"Oh, come on, don't be such a sourpuss. This is a special day between us friends, and it won't be as fun without you!"
Sieg seemed conflicted, but after seeing the group nodding along to Nowi's words, he gave in.
"Alright, I'll do it. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
"Yay! Sieg's going to turn into a dragon! Sieg's going to turn into a dragon!" Nowi cheered excitedly.
Sieg pulled himself away from the excitable Nowi and walked a bit farther, noticing a few people getting closer. He raised his hand and said, "Please stand back. My dragon form is much larger than your dragon forms, so I need some space."
Byleth and Tiki exchanged glances before shrugging and moving back a bit. Seeing that he had plenty of room to transform, Sieg closed his eyes and focused.
He felt the wind rushing through his hair, and a bright flash of light enveloped him. The light was so intense that everyone had to cover their eyes. When the light subsided, Sieg's dragon form was revealed.
The entire group of manaketes and dragon descendants fell silent as they took in the form of the beast that had replaced Sieg. He was large, powerful, and ferocious, with sharp claws and a snarling jaw that sent shivers down everyone's spines. Observing their reaction, the dragon's intimidating features softened slightly. "Sorry."
"Is that really you, Sieg?" It was Tiki who asked.
"Yes, this is my dragon form."
"You're... You're..." Nowi struggled to find the right words, but Sieg understood what she meant.
A monster. That's what he appeared to be, and he was willing to accept that perception.
"So COOL!" Nowi exclaimed with enthusiasm.
Sieg's dragon form blinked, taken aback by her response, before focusing on Nowi, who had stars in her eyes as she inspected his form.
"Aren't you afraid?" Sieg inquired.
Nowi's face popped up over his nose as she gazed into his eyes. "Afraid? Why would we be afraid? Your dragon form looks awesome! Like you could fly over an entire mountain range and scare those mean mountain goats that always taunt you when you get too close to them."
She turned to look at the rest of the group. "Right, guys?"
The others exchanged hesitant glances before nodding.
"See? We all agree. You shouldn't feel ashamed of your form. Be proud of it!"
Sieg glanced at the ground before meeting the young girl's gaze again. "Yeah, you're right."
"Of course, I am. I'm your elder sister, and I'm always right!" Nowi declared.
"But we aren't-"
A bright flash of light interrupted Sieg's protests, causing him to close his eyes. When he opened them again, he realized Nowi had disappeared.
"Last one to finish a lap around the Canyon is a rotten dragon egg!" her voice echoed from a distance.
Nowi's dragon form flew away in a burst of speed, leaving Sieg behind.
"Mother! No fair! We're supposed to have a countdown; you're cheating!" Nah exclaimed as she flew after Nowi.
Another bright light engulfed the area, and this time, Tiki emerged in her dragon form.
"Hurry, Sieg! You're going to miss out if you keep standing there." Tiki flew ahead, leaving only him and the others behind.
Sieg looked at the remaining members of the group. "Are you guys going to transform too?"
They all shook their heads. "Sorry, but not all of us have dragon forms. Stop dawdling and start flying! You're being left behind," Sothis urged, pointing toward the distant shapes of the manaketes, which appeared as mere specks.
Sieg panicked and, without much regard for his surroundings, he leaped into the air, creating a gust that caused everyone on the ground to plop onto their butts.
"Hey! Watch it!"
"Sorry," Sieg apologized hastily before flying as fast as he could to catch up with the rest of the girls.
He managed to catch up, but due to his unfamiliarity with racing and his sedentary lifestyle, Sieg wasn't able to win the race. In the end, he was labeled a "rotten dragon egg," but he didn't mind the title. They continued to play with Nowi, Nah, and Tiki in their dragon forms for the rest of the day.
As the day drew to a close, they gathered together and ended their excursion with a dazzling display of fireworks, each dragon unleashing bursts of flames into the sky. Looking at his new friends, Sieg felt grateful for the experience and the memories he had made. This day would be one he cherished in his dreams once he returned to his duties.
Sieg had decided to observe with his new friends and felt a warm sensation in his chest. "Thank you all," he said, his voice resonating in the clear evening air. "This has been a truly unforgettable day."
Tiki, the woman who had originally planned the whole event, looked at him with a smile. "It was our pleasure, Sieg." Then her expression turned into one he was familiar with—one that meant she was going to lecture him. "But don't assume this will be the only day we do this."
"Yeah! We still have loads of stuff we can do next time that we couldn't do today!"
"Huh?" Sieg could only tilt his head in confusion. "next time?"
"Yeah! Next time, we're going to my world and exploring the branches of the Mila Tree, that's where Tiki lives btw. Then we'll go hunt some tuna near the coasts of Byleth's home, and then-"
Nowi continued listing various activities she wanted to do as a group, earning a few chuckles and smiles.
"The point is, this is only the beginning, Sieg. We might be allies in an army to help save the world, but that doesn't mean we can't make good memories while we're together. So stop being so melodramatic," Sothis told him matter-of-factly.
The group agreed with her sentiments, which left Sieg feeling a bit embarrassed for bringing down the mood.
And so, he did the only thing he knew would be best to say in this situation.
"I'm sorry."
Author's Note: Here's the biweekly chapter. Sieg needs more friends and more memories for him to cherish when he goes back to the reverse side of the world. So here it is. Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a comment, it feeds my soul.