Time for another character focus, as well as some more raunchiness. Have fun!
Chapter 25 – The Opera Matron (Pegasus Moon)
Bernadetta pulled her blanket tighter over her head as the sound of someone banging on her door got louder. She didn't want to get up and train and didn't know why Brigitte couldn't understand that.
"Come on, Bern!" shouted Brigitte as she pounded on the recluse's door. "I know you're in there! Time to get up!"
"G-Go away, Brigitte!" Bernadetta finally yelped. "I'll get up when I'm ready!"
"You mean like yesterday? You didn't come out until it was sundown! Stop screwing around and get out here! We've got training to do!"
"N-No! Just go! I don't feel like training today!"
"That's a load of crap if I ever heard it. If you're gonna fight in this war, you gotta do your bit like the rest of us. Now get your ass out here before I drag you out myself. Last chance."
"I already told you NO! It's not happening. Not right now. Not today."
Brigitte sighed loudly and then said, "Don't say I didn't warn you! RRAAGH!"
A second later, Bernadetta screamed as her door burst open, having been kicked by Brigitte as hard as the redhead could manage.
"AH! MY DOOR! NOT AGAIN!" Bernadetta shrieked, thinking back to a similarly harrowing event five years ago, only it had been Ingrid who had kicked the door open then.
"Now come on, lazyhead," Brigitte said with a smirk as she reached over and grabbed Bernadetta around her waist. "Let's get going!"
"Wait, what are you – NO! NO, PUT ME DOWN! SOMEONE HEEELP MEEEE!"
Bernadetta continued kicking and screaming as Brigitte hoisted the girl onto her shoulder and carried her toward the training grounds. Having heard the commotion, Byleth watched in confusion as Bernadetta flailed around while Brigitte confidently hauled her off for training.
Just when Byleth thought about whether to intervene, Dorothea came running toward the redhead and shouted, "Briggie, what are you doing?! Put Bernie down! You're gonna give her a heart attack!"
"Hey, she didn't wanna get up early, and I said I was gonna get her to training whether she liked it or not," Brigitte replied, not minding when Bernadetta tried to kick her again.
"HELP ME, DOROTHEAAAAA!" Bernadetta wailed.
"Brigitte. Put. Her. Down. NOW!" Dorothea said angrily.
"Whoa, whoa, okay, yeesh," Brigitte said, surprised at Dorothea's outburst.
The redhead set Bernadetta down on the cold stone path leading toward the training grounds. Bernadetta immediately scrambled to her feet and ran behind Dorothea for protection.
"K-Keep her away from me!" Bernadetta squeaked.
"Bern, it's okay, you're okay," said Dorothea. She then turned back to Brigitte and said, "Briggie, I know you mean well, but please don't do this again."
"Hey, don't look at me like that!" said Brigitte. "How's she supposed to get in her training if she hides herself away like a bear in a cave?"
Dorothea was about to answer when Byleth strode up to the conversation, prompting Bernadetta to yelp, "L-Lady Eisner!"
"Oh, hey, Prof," Brigitte said as she turned to Byleth. "I was just getting Bernadetta out of her room for–"
"I saw," Byleth interrupted. "I'd appreciate it if you could use a less forceful approach in the future."
"Hey, I tried talking her into coming out, but she was being too damn stubborn."
"That doesn't mean you can go breaking down her door like that." Byleth turned to Dorothea and said, "Go get her something to eat. I need to have a word with Brigitte."
Dorothea nodded and led Bernadetta off to the dining hall, hoping there would still be something left that could calm the purple-haired recluse's nerves.
Sighing, Brigitte said, "Sorry, guess I went a little overboard. I just hate it when people shut themselves away like that. It just… it just reminds me of what happened to an old friend…"
"Are you referring to Rosa?" asked Byleth.
"How'd you know that name?"
"Dorothea told me about her. About how she was someone the others in the Opera Company looked up to."
"Yeah, that was her. Rosa Farron. Best diva I've ever known. She was… well, a star would be putting it lightly. Everyone loved her. And… we were all devastated when she died. She had her life ruined by that fat pig, Duke Aegir, when he had House Temper slaughtered, including her baby. She shut herself away for a week after she came back. We tried to help her after everything that happened, but she… she just couldn't bear it. And just like that, she was gone."
Byleth said nothing as she watched Brigitte's expression contort with regret.
"Ever since then, I just found I… I can't stand it when I see someone locking themselves away from everyone else. It makes me think of her. She was my friend, and I couldn't save her. After it happened, I swore I wouldn't let anyone hurt the people I cared for ever again."
"That's a very noble goal, Brigitte, but you mustn't get carried away with it."
"I know, I know, Prof. I'm sorry, alright? I won't do it again." Brigitte sighed again and said, "Guess I'd better fix her door."
"Do you need a hand?" asked Byleth.
"Hey, if you're offering."
…
It took the two women a little over half-an-hour to finish repairing Bernadetta's door. Upon finishing, the two made their way to the training grounds, where Catherine was waiting expectantly for Brigitte.
Minutes later, Byleth watched as Brigitte and Catherine exchanged blows in hand-to-hand combat. Brigitte, despite being gifted at it, was still no match for Catherine, who bashed her elbow into the redhead's chest, sending Brigitte to the ground.
Growling, Brigitte said, "Dammit, you got lucky there!"
"That had nothing to do with luck, Brigitte," said Catherine. "I could see that swing coming a mile away. You might be used to beating drunks and common thugs, but your recklessness will get you killed in a real battle."
Brigitte snarled as she got to her feet, readying herself for another clash with the Crusader. Catherine assumed a stance and gestured for Brigitte to come at her. Angry, Brigitte roared as she made several wild punches at Catherine, who dodged each one with practiced ease.
"Stop being so predictable!" Catherine said as she caught another punch from the redhead. "I could've knocked you back down four times by now."
"Shut up!"
Brigitte made another angry swing at Catherine's head, and the Crusader again caught her blow, grasping both of Brigitte's fists in her hands. Brigitte struggled against Catherine for a second until Catherine swung her knee into Brigitte's gut, knocking the wind out of the redhead. Brigitte groaned as she again fell to the ground on her back.
"S-Shit…" Brigitte moaned painfully.
"You're letting your anger get the better of you, Brigitte," said Catherine. "If you keep letting me rile you up like that, you're not gonna make any headway against me. You gotta use your head." Then, as Brigitte got back up, Catherine said, "You really are a glutton for punishment, aren't you?"
"I just don't quit that easy," Brigitte snarled.
Byleth watched in some disappointment as Brigitte readied herself again. The redhead hadn't scored a single blow on Catherine so far, though not for lack of trying. Catherine was just too skilled for the senior diva to handle.
Yet Byleth did not intervene. She knew it was somewhat cruel to let Brigitte continue taking a beating, but the redhead needed to learn that fighting so recklessly wasn't going to get her very far. Brigitte was strong, no doubt, but all that strength meant nothing if she couldn't land a blow on her enemy. She needed to learn that the hard way, if necessary.
Another roar from Brigitte turned into a surprised yelp as Catherine grabbed Brigitte's arm and threw the senior diva over her shoulder. Before Brigitte could recover, Catherine pinned her to the ground under her boot.
"Had enough yet?" asked Catherine.
Spitting, Brigitte answered, "What do you think?"
Catherine helped Brigitte back to her feet, and the cycle repeated itself. Byleth was left watching Brigitte continue taking a beating from Catherine for another half hour, yet the redhead didn't relent.
Getting up again, now covered in bruises, Brigitte panted as she said, "Come on… that all you've got… Cat?"
"I think that's enough," said Catherine. "You're barely standing. What good are you gonna be in a fight if you collapse?"
"Just means… I've done a… helluva lot of… fighting…"
Brigitte winced as the pain of her injuries finally caught up to her, prompting Catherine to catch her as she stumbled forward.
"Healer!" Catherine shouted, prompting Lana to rush forward and prepare a spell.
"Don't worry, Brigitte!" Lana said peppily. "You'll be good as new in a second."
As Lana's spell dulled the pain of her injuries, Brigitte said, "Thanks, Lana…" Then, to everyone else's surprise, the redhead looked at Catherine with a vicious grin.
Lana and Byleth both went wide-eyed as Brigitte suddenly reared her head back and then smashed her cranium into Catherine's face. The Crusader yelped as she toppled to the ground while Brigitte staggered back, stunned by her own headbutt.
"Brigitte! Are you okay?!" said Alicia as she dropped her lance and ran over to the senior diva.
"H-Hehe, not so high and mighty now, are you, Cat?" Brigitte chuckled before wincing in pain from her self-inflicted injury.
"Brigitte! That was cheating!" Lana said in protest.
Brigitte was about to reply when Catherine let out a laugh of her own.
"What's so funny?!" Brigitte snarled.
"Nice move, Brigitte," said Catherine as she picked herself off the ground. "Though I didn't mean for you to use your head so literally."
"Hey, you were asking for it."
Byleth had to sigh in exasperation at this. Training the senior diva was going to be harder than she thought.
…
Brigitte let out a loud sigh of relief as she lowered herself into the hot spring in Abyss. It was just what she needed for her numerous aches and bruises after sparring with Catherine. The Crusader hadn't opted to join them, though, as she was busy showing sword techniques to the volunteers. Instead, Brigitte was joined in the hot spring by Byleth, Dorothea, Lana, Cia, Alicia, Petra, Leonie, Lysithea, and Annette.
To the amusement of the others, Lana was busy feeling up her twin sister's chest, giggling all the while. Cia, on the other hand, clearly did not enjoy being groped by her sibling.
"You're still so squishy, Cia~" Lana said with a laugh.
"L-Lana, cut that out!" Cia stammered in protest. "If you're gonna grope someone, do it to Alicia!"
"W-What?! No, not me!" Alicia said in shock as she defensively covered her ample breasts, still hidden behind her towel.
As the others laughed at the exchange, Lysithea had to groan as she looked down at her body. She hadn't grown at all in the chest department since their academy days.
Sitting next to her, Annette nervously laughed and said, "At least you got a lot taller, right?"
Angered, Lysithea snapped, "I don't want to hear that from you, Annette."
The white-haired mage glared at Annette's body as she said this, envious that the orange-haired mage was far curvier than she had been before. Lysithea could only take some solace in the fact that Annette hadn't gotten any taller over the years.
Petra watched the exchange and then asked Dorothea, "Why are they so concerning – um, concerned about their sizes of their chests? I still do not know why such a thing matters so much."
Dorothea had to laugh nervously at this, knowing it was going to be hard to explain. She gave a quick glance to Byleth, who blushed for a second as the brunette's eyes lingered for a second on the archbishop's enormous bosom. It seemed Dorothea's mischievous side hadn't waned in five years, much to Byleth's dismay.
"So, Catherine beat the crap out of you, did she?" Leonie said to Brigitte.
"Yeah, she did," Brigitte groaned. "But I got in my fair share too."
"Can't say I'd be up for going twenty rounds with Thunder Catherine. I'm impressed you could take that much of a beating."
"It's not the worst I've been through." Then, as Alicia made a yelp of protest, Brigitte smirked and said, "I've gone through a lot worse for them."
"For the others in the opera?" asked Byleth.
"Yep. Some of them really need looking after, you know? And being head diva means you gotta put their welfare before your own."
"I never heard anything like that from Manuela."
"Well, Manuela and I just do things differently. She did her best to get them ready so they could look after themselves, but me? I'm not good at teaching like she was. I've always been more about stepping in if they run into trouble. It happens a lot more than you think."
Byleth was about to ask another question when Cia hissed, "Oh, now you're asking for it, Lana!"
Lana yelped as her sister grabbed the bluette's own well-proportioned chest through her towel, the chipper twin blushing red as a beet. Cia wasn't gentle with her, clenching her twin's breasts tightly in her fingers.
"C-Cia! Not so haaard! Eyaaaa!" Lana squealed.
"Oh-ho no, you're not getting away that easily!" Cia said playfully.
"H-Hey! Cut that out, Lysithea!" Alicia yelped as the brunette was grabbed by the white-haired mage.
Scowling, Lysithea yanked down Alicia's towel and said, "Are all opera divas this top-heavy?! I'm amazed you can stand upright with these things!"
As Lysithea groped her again, Alicia yelped, "S-Stop that! T-They're really sensi– EEK!"
Lysithea did not stop, however, and continued her tirade on how everyone else in the tub was so blessed in the chest department.
"I'd better stop this," said Byleth as she waded over toward the others.
But as she moved toward Lysithea and Alicia, Byleth stopped as she heard Dorothea cooing, "Oh Byleeeth~"
Byleth knew what was coming, but she had no time to react before a familiar set of hands grabbed her massive chest and began rubbing.
"AH! D-Dorothea, not again!" Byleth yelped in dismay.
"Oh, you haven't gotten any bigger," Dorothea said playfully. "Oh well, you're still plenty big enough."
"D-Dorothea, you know I– GWAAH!"
Byleth made a particularly loud yelp as Dorothea pinched her nipples through her towel, sending a jolt through the greenette's entire body.
Then, as if to embarrass her further, she heard Brigitte snort loudly and say, "Figured those things were your weak spot, Prof! Hey, Dorothea, who's bigger? Her or Manuela?"
"Manuela, actually," said Dorothea. "But Byleth's really close."
"Huh, could've sworn she was the bigger one."
Byleth, her face red with shame, couldn't do anything except squirm in Dorothea's grip as the others continued their bath.
Poor Lysithea, am I right? And poor Bernadetta, losing another door.
Brigitte's backstory has more to it, especially in regards to her background with Yuri. However, I want to save that for a bit later, as it'll work better in a future chapter. For now, though, I hope what I'm showing helps to flesh out her character. Again, she's not meant to be exactly the same as Rosie from Valkyria Chronicles.
Just to ask, am I using these ecchi hot spring scenes too much? I know it's kinda tropey, but they aren't 100% fanservice. They also serve as a good time for the girls to bond (albeit in a pervy fashion).
Next chapter, we're gonna go back to the Imperial side of things, and get some more insight on Ladislava's history. Stay tuned!