Draco: Maybe... just one more.
Yes, one more. I keep letting myself write giant Ransei plots, and I need to stop. I have been flirting with the idea of rewriting Legend of Ransei like a pathetic hypocrite, but this story might well be my last original Ransei plot just because of how BIG this thing got. And I'm just saying that having planned it out; I don't know how many chapters this is going to turn into, but the scope of this is going to be massive. I am determined to make this my last full-scale Ransei story.
...Yes, "full-scale" Ransei story, specifically. I have sworn to give these girls a happy ending. A REAL happy ending, not an "everyone's well-being has been in question for 30 chapters and they're all alive and sane" happy ending. I don't know for sure if I can do that as a denouement, but if I can't, then I will do it in an auxiliary fic like Blessing.
Speaking of which, do not go into my lily bombs blind. If you have not seen me write Ransei before, you have a list of preliminary work. The Legend of Ransei - Lily With Thorns of Rose is my literation (novelization, whatever), which sets the precedent for how I write Warrior combat. Auroran Nightlight is optional (especially the linked version). To Be Wed in Dragnor... has a couple minor points that will help this make more sense. Kingdoms Unknown - Voyage in an Otherworld is big sequel story #1; Ancient Ruination - Power Untempered and Unyielding is big sequel story #2. The first chapter of A Blessing Upon Aurora has a lot of important points; the rest is mostly just warm fuzzy feels, but does introduce one other important character.
And finally, my obligatory warning.
THIS IS A POKÉMON FANFICTION BY DRACONAI AURACTO. DO NOT READ THIS FANFICTION UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT WILL BE SHORT. YOU WILL REGRET IT.
Pokémon and protagonist © Nintendo. Character designs © Koei. Ransei © somewhere in the middle.
...Despite the fact that I've been using those copyright shenanigans for Blessing, it feels different using them for a big one.
Aurora: A Face from the Past
"I lose again."
The chuckling remark from the living room of Aurora Castle earned a quick response from a younger voice. "You're getting better! You did beat me last time!"
Evia of Aurora sat back with a smile. "One out of three. Guess it's too much to think I can get too much better so quickly."
Her daughter Kaguya leaned forward. "Come on, Mama Evia! You're not that bad!"
"Now, now," insisted a voice from the entrance; Evia turned to find her wife Oichi stepping in, Wigglytuff at her side. "There's nothing wrong with knowing one's weaknesses."
"Mama Oichi!" Kaguya greeted. Her head angled to one side as she noticed the long package the healer was holding. "What's in the box?"
Oichi smiled, walking past the table where they were playing checkers. "I'm not telling," she insisted. "It's a surprise." Kaguya pouted as she set the box on the couch. "Oh, but there was a letter for you."
Kirlia got up from the couch in surprise as Kaguya accepted the large envelope. "Ooh, it's from Mitsuki!" She pulled it open, revealing that inside was both a note and a smaller, flexible package.
Evia stretched her legs before getting to her feet and circling the table. "What's it say?"
Kaguya read it aloud. "Dear Kaguya. Hope this arrives close enough to say 'Happy Birthday'! Lady Kichō helped me pick out a present for you. I thought this would look nice without getting in the way too much. Looking forward to seeing it on you next time we meet up! ~Mitsuki." Curious, Kaguya set the letter down and grabbed the package, finding this one was only loosely bound together.
Everyone present was amazed at what lay inside - a beautiful necklace that seemed to be largely made of jewels. The lower half of the charm formed beautiful spiral patterns in deep sapphire, and the upper half had stunning ruby forming a gorgeous flame shape. Any risk of sharp edges were averted by the glistening emerald that framed the entirety of the formation; the entire body was small enough to fit in the palm of Evia's hand, which made the detail all the more incredible. Rather than a chain, the necklace had a narrow black cord, which an experimental tug revealed was slightly elastic - an excellent way to avoid causing complications for a young wearer.
"Oh my gosh!" Kaguya held it in amazement. "It's amazing!"
"It is," Evia agreed. "Nō certainly has an eye for this."
Oichi knelt down as Kaguya put the necklace on. "How does it feel?" the healer asked. "Not too heavy, is it?"
"Nuh-uh," Kaguya assured her. "It's good." She stood up, watching the motion of the charm that resulted. "And she's right, it doesn't get in the way when I move fast."
"Very nice," Evia mused. "You'll have to write her a thank-you in the morning." She got to her feet. "For now, though, you don't want to-"
Dong...
The bell sounding through Aurora Castle caught everyone off-guard, the assorted smiles falling from everyone's faces. As the last echoes faded, Kaguya turned to Oichi. "That was the challenger's bell, wasn't it?"
"It was," Oichi confirmed. "Who would come for a battle at this hour?"
"Considering our bouts in Spectra," Evia mused, "I think I'd be justified in postponing the battle. But let's at least see who it is."
She started out of the living room, prompting Oichi, Wigglytuff, Kaguya, and Kirlia to follow suit. As they approached the entrance, Glaceon, Sylveon, Espeon, and Flareon arrived from another venue; the Warlord's sword and shield were being telekinetically carried by the Sun Pokémon, and Evia let her mount them on her back before opening the door and stepping out into the battlefield.
A man was standing at the attacker's position - a very pale man with black hair spiked back and up. He was clad in what seemed to be scale mail, over which he wore a silvery longcoat whose lower hem was adorned with bright blue patterns; it seemed to be closed not by button or zipper but by straps that were affixed to his chestplate (or perhaps to each other; Evia couldn't quite tell). Around his neck was a blue scarf that was actually longer than his coat, though it was light enough to be blown about by the wind being kicked up by the wingbeats of the Scizor at his side. On his hip was a basket-hilted sword that could be mistaken for a rapier at first glance; it lacked a proper scabbard, instead being sheathed in a ring that left its katana-like edge exposed.
There was a look of disgust on his face as he beheld them, though Evia paid it no mind as she stepped forward. "Interesting for an attacker to arrive with no flag to mark their allegiance," she mused. "But being as I've made the same mistake myself, I'm not about to turn you away just for that."
"You've gotta be kidding me," the man muttered. "I was hoping that pirate was talking out of his ass, but it is you."
Evia halted halfway across the battlefield. "...Excuse me? Do I know you?"
The man leaned his head back. "Guess I can't blame you for not recognizing me," he conceded. "I've changed a lot in these many years. And if you are the person I'm looking for, you've been up to plenty since we parted ways." Evia glanced at Oichi in confusion before turning back to the man as he set a hand on his weapon. "Doubt you even remember me, after all this time."
He lowered his gaze back to Evia. "Considering you kicked me out so soon after I joined up."
Oichi started, her grip tightening on her staff.
Evia narrowed her gaze. "...Takatora?"
A smirk rose on the Warrior's face. "Well, damn," Takatora muttered. "You do remember. That makes things easier." His face contorted into a glare. "I've been wanting to make a mess out of you for a long time."
"On what grounds do you think you can challenge me?" Evia demanded.
"What makes you think you have the right to refuse a challenge?!" Takatora yelled.
"A free Warrior may not attack a kingdom with intent to claim it," Evia observed, refusing to raise her voice as he did.
Takatora shook his head. "I'm no free Warrior," he proclaimed. "I have a new master now - a deserving master." He drew something out of his pocket - an envelope. "He sent me here to deliver a message."
He hurled the letter at Evia, who caught it with a swipe of her hand. "A message could be delivered by a man with a Beedrill," she observed. "There was no need to send a Warrior."
"That's what I thought, too," Takatora admitted. "He demanded I give it to you in person, insisting I'd enjoy the opportunity to meet the Heroine of Ransei." He spat onto the battlefield. "Though the old cripple was full of it, telling me to go to Aurora. But no, here you are." He reached for his sword. "I don't care what you've been up to these years, you're still the same worthless bitch."
"Worthless?" Evia echoed. "You disrespected me as your Warlord, you brought harm to the Pokémon you were Linked to, and you showed no remorse for your actions. You were rightfully dismissed, and responded by inciting the mass desertion of the Warriors in an army opposing a man whose stated goal was to destroy Ransei. And you would call me worthless?"
"You care more about how the battle is fought than whether it's won!" Takatora snapped.
"And you would have me believe that you are here on another's behalf," Evia proclaimed, "despite the fact that no Warlord has tolerated behaviour such as yours since I first united the region. You bring no standard to prove your allegiance, no allies to fight alongside, a tenuous Link at best with the Pokémon at your side, and a message which - by your own account - is the only reason you were sent here."
Scizor glanced at Takatora quizzically.
"Even if you do serve someone," Evia observed, "they plainly did not send you here to attack the kingdom. So I ask again: on what grounds do you think you can challenge me?"
Silence on the battlefield for a long moment.
Evia glanced down at the envelope Takatora had handed to her, raising it before her. It had neither an address for recipient nor sender, and as she turned it over, she found the flaps sealed with red wax that bore no sigil. Curious, she turned around, bringing her other hand up...
...and tossing the letter to Oichi the moment she heard the sound of a blade being drawn.
The Warlord of Aurora turned around to find the free Warrior and his Scizor both lunging towards her; a strike from the gauntlet beneath her left sleeve knocked his sword aside, and she brought her leg up to drive it into his codpiece, dislodging it from his greaves. The Pincer Pokémon promptly found Flareon leaping at her; her X-Scissor didn't even affect his trajectory as he closed a vicious Fire Fang on her right wing, twisting into a flip to hurl her backwards.
Evia raised her leg and drove a kick into Takatora's chestplate, throwing him backwards and giving her room to draw her sword and shield. The free Warrior thrust his blade forward once, twice, each met on her shield before she moved her sword forward; Takatora tried to exploit her lowered defenses before the Warlord's blade connected with his weapon at the hilt, throwing the blade over his head at roughly the same time as Flareon sunk another Fire Fang into Scizor's arm.
The Flame Pokémon dragged Scizor into the ground face-frst as Takatora brought his sword back down... and found he was holding a hilt and handle. The blade struck the earth at his side, and he glanced at it as Flareon leapt away; Scizor drove one pincer into the ground, tried to right herself, and collapsed back to the ground as Evia sheathed her sword.
Takatora lunged at her, raising his basket hilt like he intended to punch her with it.
Evia brought her shield back and slammed the edge into his chest, throwing him backwards and leaving him sprawled on his back in the dirt.
"You haven't changed at all," she observed. "Not where it matters."
The free Warrior glared at her for a moment before twisting around, pulling himself to his feet and storming out of the battlefield - and Evia could feel his Link break as Scizor realized he was making no effort to help her up.
Draco: This story is a result of a giant pile of inspiration that all converged in Ransei. Point #1 - I discovered that Takatora became a unique character in a Samurai Warriors game which came out some time after Pokémon Conquest.
Yes, Nobunaga is missing his topknot on the cover. That doesn't signify anything important; I'm just tried of trying to extend sprites that are cut off by the top of the screen. Especially after I discovered newer versions of MS Paint have changed things in such a way that it's no longer useful and convenient for spritework (least not for spritework that involves resizing anything). I might have him suffer an involuntary haircut in-story because of how I altered his sprite, but I didn't alter his sprite because of what I had planned for the story.
PRE-SUBMIT EDIT: As of this posting, I am working on the denouement. New chapters will go up Monday-Wednesday-Friday. END PRE-SUBMIT EDIT