The Three Houses of Hyperdimension

A Fire Emblem: Three Houses & Hyperdimension Neptunia Crossover Fan Fiction

by Derald Snyder

Episode 34: Pursuing Kronya

*A few minutes earlier...*

Byleth was standing off to the side, his face set like stone as he listened to the back-and-forth between Rei Ryghts and Simon Blackquill, neither lawyer conceding an inch. (I didn't think it would be this hard to prove her innocence...) He became aware of Hanneman putting in his two cents as well, not quite paying full attention...

"LOOK OUT!" He heard Sothis suddenly yell, opening his eyes just in time to see a dagger bury itself between Edelgard's eyes, the woman collapsing dead to the floor. (NO!) He became aware of laughter, turning to see Kronya laughing triumphantly before making her escape... then the colors inverted as Divine Pulse activated. (Oh, please, don't let this one be the will of fate!) he prayed as the hands of time were turned back, the colors then reverting to normal. He pulled out the Sword of the Creator and transformed it to whip-mode, swinging it in Edelgard's direction-

-and the dagger was deflected, impacting on the wood beside Edelgard's head, then clattering to the floor. "Nice one, Byleth!" Sothis grinned and gave a thumbs-up, no doubt aware of what had just happened.

"Dammit!" Kronya hissed. "You always get in my way, you asshole!" She promptly turned and fled through the courtroom doors...

"Stop right there, Kronya!" Byleth yelled as he gave chase, vaguely aware of Count Hevring shouting an order to the baillifs as he ran out of the courtroom, making a left and dashing down the hall... but he saw nothing. (Damn, she must have went the other direction!) Time stopped and wound back once more, Byleth again bursting through the courtroom doors, this time going down the right hallway, this time hearing Kronya yelling as she shoved someone aside. (Bingo.) He made another right and caught sight of her again, running harder to try and catch up, but she seemed to be just a little faster on her feet... but then she was forced to swerve around an unsuspecting lawyer, allowing him to close the distance a bit. (Now!) he thought, lashing out with the Sword of the Creator's whip-mode-

"Gah- OUFF!" Kronya cried as her leg was struck, causing her to trip and face-plant into the floor, sliding forward a bit from momentum. But before she could right herself, Byleth caught up and gave her a hard kick to the gut to incapacitate her, then kicked her again to flip her on her back, putting his foot on her stomach and pointing his sword in her face. "D-damn it...!"

"Was killing my father not enough for you, murderer?!" Byleth growled with barely-contained rage. "Or are you really Kronya?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" the assassin grunted, confusion clear on her face.

The two then became aware of several bailiffs coming up behind Byleth. "Ah, you caught her. Good work, Professor," one of the bailiffs said.

"She's fortunate we're in a courthouse, or she'd be a head shorter right now," Byleth stated. "Take her into custody and get a blood sample from her for testing. We need to confirm if she's an impostor or not..."

"Why the hell would I be an impostor?!" Kronya protested. "What the hell purpose would that serve?!"

"Because I saw you die before with my own eyes," Byleth shot back.

"Wha... I died?" Kronya said in shock as two bailiffs hauled her to her feet, one of them cuffing her. "What the hell are you talking about...?!" But suddenly, there were multiples cries of pain, Byleth turning to see several bailiffs collapsing with fatal slash wounds, a familiar purple-haired mercenary standing among them, already in her powered-up form with two swords in hand. "About time you showed up!" Kronya yelled in both annoyance and relief.

"Shez," Byleth acknowledged darkly. "Come to try and get revenge again? That didn't work too well for you last time."

"I'v been training hard since we last met!" Shez shot back. "You won't find me such a pushover this time!" One foot moved back a little, before Shez thrusted forward with her left sword, then swung with the right. Byleth parried the first strike, turning so the other blade only hit armor, then retaliating with a kick to the gut- but Shez managed to move back enough so that she only received a glancing blow. But then, she suddenly glowed black and vanished into thin air!

"What the...?" Byleth then heard a cry behind him, whipping around to see Shez cutting down the bailiffs holding Kronya. (Was that some sort of teleport...?!)

"Get outta here! I'll take care of him!" Shez said once she'd cut off Kronya's handcuffs.

"NO!" Byleth cried as he tried to pursue- only for Shez to parry his sword and block his advance. The surroundings went color-inverted as Byleth turned back time by a few seconds, then resuming and easily dodging around Shez's charge, causing her to fumble and fall face-first to the ground.

"What the- how did he do that...?!" Shez grunted as she pushed herself up.

(He's messing with our perception somehow, would be my guess,) said the voice in her head. (How odd... he can't be a Maker, and he supposedly has no knowledge of magic, so how did he do that...?)

"Later, Arval!" Shez shot back as she righted herself and ran after Byleth.

"Dammit, get away from me!" Kronya yelled as she fled from the Ashen Demon, who changed his sword to whip-mode and lashed out, only for Kronya to roll to one side, the sword instead slicing off one of the tails of her outfit... only for said tail to suddenly turn into a clear gooey substance that splattered over the floor! "The hell...?!" Kronya said in disbelief.

"For my father!" Byleth cried as he went for a killing thrust- only to be repulsed by a blinding light, seeing Shez standing before him once again. "How did you do that...?!"

"You have your tricks, I have mine!" Shez taunted as she went on the attack again, Byleth forced to parry once more. "Run, Kronya!"

"What do think I've been doing?!" the redhead shot back as she fled once more.

(Okay, this isn't working,) Byleth thought in frustration. (Might be better to let her go and just focus on the enemy in front of me...) Breaking off and jumping back, Byleth changed his sword to whip mode and lashed out, Shez leaning back to dodge, though one sword was knocked out of her hand. Byleth then pulled his sword back together and went on the attack once more, pushing Shez back now that she only had one sword to use... but then she vanished in a black flash, but Byleth was ready this time, easily turning and blocking his foe's attack from behind. "Too predictable! You should have tried coming at me from the side instead!"

"This fight's not over yet!" Shez vowed, only to cry out in surprise as Taka the hawk assaulted her from behind! Byleth quickly took advantage, dropping his sword and grabbing Shez around the torso before slamming her into the floor! Before she had a chance to recover, Byleth grabbed her head and smashed it into the floor, then again, the woman going limp and unconscious as a result.

"...It seems I'm a bit late," a familiar voice spoke, Byleth looking up to see Simon Blackquill jogging up to him, Taka promptly perching back on his shoulder.

"I appreciate your bird's assistance, at least," Byleth said as he hauled Shez up, holding her limp body with one arm. "We need to take her into custody, preferably with anti-magic wards. Are there any guards who haven't been cut down?"

"The police should be here soon enough," Simon replied. "I assume the assassin escaped?"

"Unfortunately, but at least we have this one," Byleth affirmed. "Before I forget, make sure that the forensic people get a sample of that goo over there," he pointed. "I cut off one of the tails on Kronya's outfit, and it turned into that substance..."

"Did it, now? How very odd..." Blackquill pondered as he put a hand to his chin. "Clearly this mystery is far more complex than a simple attempted murder and frame-up..."

"You can say that again," Byleth sighed.

*Episode 34- End*

A/N: Phew, took long enough to get this done, even if I was sidetracked by another story.