A/N: I am not dead. I am not dead. I am not dead. I am merely… hibernating… yes. All part of the grand plan.
Vallite: Purotekutā no Kyōdai ai (Protector of Sibling Love) [Corrin's Naginata] | Hoshizora Seiza (Starry Constellation) [Lilith's Mother] | Jiyū (Freedom) [Lathna's F!Pegasus] | Kanpeki (Perfection) [Subaki's M!Pegasus] | Shi no Mirai (Tides of the Future) [Izama's Crystal Ball] | Kuronikurā (Chronicler) [Forgotten Dragon God of Records/Time-Keeping] | Fuka-sa No Kage (Depths of Shadow) [Afterlife for the Damned] | Todoku No Hikari (Reaches of Light) [Afterlife for the Blessed]
Hoshidan: Baranotsubomi (Rosebud) [Elise's Mare]
Nohrian: Katáktisi (Conquest) [Xander's Stallion] | Ouranós Trómos (Skyterror) [Camilla's M!Wyvern] | Μαύρο άλογο/Alastor (Dark Horse) [Leo's Stallion]
Antex: Perhaps… Fuga saw something inside of Corrin when he gave her that incredibly intense stare. Or perhaps, he saw a lack of something. Though, it does sound Corrin had picked up the issue of 'I want more', so let us hope her newfound desire for power doesn't become something worse… it'd be terrible if she were to say…
Throw away her Humanity for her Draconic half. *ahem* shameless Vergil reference.
Consort: Oh, but of course! Yasei will definitely need to overcome that fear, especially since she can also sprout her own wings and… glide. Mayhaps she only needs to be reminded that 'Hey, if I fall, I can still form my wings and prevent any real damage'.
I also didn't hold back with Fuga being very strong almost like he's older than the rest, and forged a tight bond with Sumeragi through tough training, he took those hits from Yasei like a champ, barely even faltering when she stabbed him with her blade, then of course he nearly downs her with his… Astra? Wait, 'Master of Arms' doesn't have access to that skill… hrm. Though, perhaps it's for the best if the Yato remains where it is? Perhaps… it holds more power in this version?
Guest (Ch. 25, 10/17/20 9:45PM EST): Ah yes, I am aware of the Devil May Cry franchise. I did watch all the Cutscenes for 5 as well as a handful of related theories... but I do not have any personal experience with the game. Though, it's enough to allow me to grasp what you are referencing. *Looks at the link* Ah yes, Fanfiction strikes again with its 'law' against having any other website being linked.
With all of that said… I do already have something planned for an upgraded 'Partial Dragon Form', but it'll be just that, Partial Shifting, don't expect Yasei to turn into a Bi-pedal Dragon with it.
...And I'll also leave this bit for people to chew on. There is a part in your review that will come true later
I look over the Roster of our current fighters, and once more… "Katana: Hana, Subaki. Naginata: Subaki, Hinoka, Lathna, Azura, Corrin. Mace: Rinkah, Subaki. Dagger: Jakob, Felicia, Lilith. Shuriken: Kaze, Subaki. Yumi: Setsuna, Subaki. Festal: Sakura, Subaki, Azama. Scroll: Subaki. Pegasus: Subaki, Hinoka, Lathna. Sword: Ignis. Bow: Ignis. Axe: None. Tome: None. Horse: None. Wyvern: None. Dragonstone: Lilith, Corrin. Waterstone: Lilith, Azura, Corrin. Beaststone: Lathna." I then groan. "Subaki… when I asked for everyone to write their preferred weapon, I didn't mean go and list everything you can use." I rub my temples, feeling a headache form. "Still, despite all of this, I feel like we're more of a Scouting Group than an actual sub-section of the Hoshidan Army, because…" I count through the names, "Fourteen units, Lilith is the only one with reliable spellcasting, and two physical ranged, the rest are best in the front lines. And by the gods, we have way too many Naginatas, and Daggers compared to the overall." I see a shadow pop up at the tent, and…
"My liege?" Ah, it's Kaze.
"Come in." I reply, and he does so with speed, "Reporting?"
"Yes. I checked our weapons, we are running short on…"
"Let me guess, Daggers and Naginatas?"
"...Yes, my liege." He nods.
I roll my eyes and sigh, "I don't expect us to have a consistent supply of Daggers, Naginatas can be arranged, but… we need to either recruit some people who can use other weapons, or some of us are going to have to train in other weapons." I tell him. "I suppose Subaki would be up first, considering he listed himself under every Hoshidan Item."
As if sensing my stress with some unknown force, Jakob walks into the tent, a steaming hot cup of tea atop a small platter. "Milady." He bows, placing the tea down.
Ah, relaxants. I can pick out the Chamomile and Lavender combination immediately. "Thank you Jakob…" I sigh, taking a sip. "Still, the point stands, we need more variety in this army, even if I'm destined to be some sort of Scouting Group. 'Variety ensures we have counters to a given situation and also decreases the burden of upkeep the same item'." Something along those lines… Xander's advice. "As it stands, our Naginata reserves are going to be strained. If we can do it, I want a Sword as a back-up weapon." A second sip. "I also want to get a taste of Lathna's and Lilith's performances with their Stones, rather than weapons. I've seen Lilith's Va-..." Ahh… shoot. I clear my throat. "Magical potential firsthand." Kaze and Jakob both clearly note the difference in sound, but neither speak up.
"Until we manage to get a grip on Weapon Usage, is there anything you want done, my liege?" Kaze asks.
"Indeed, while I may be trained in Daggers, do not hesitate to ask for another Weapon for me to use. It is my sworn duty to guard you in any way possible, be it Magic, Arrow, or Blade."
"I have partial training in Katanas, for preparations on pursuing the Master Ninja." Kaze adds.
"Katanas are going to end up being another problem." I bluntly tell Kaze. "Samurai is a popular choice for the bulk of the Hoshidan army, surely no thanks to the Rajinto, big brother, father, and honor." I don't hide it… there's a scoff at the intense need for Honor.
"Butlers and Maids already have a potent magical backing, should you ask for me to wield a Tome, Shining Bow, or if we come across a magical Dagger." Jakob also adds.
I take a long drink from my tea, pushing back the inevitable headache that will form from this. By the gods, these two are so dedicated, but they are overlapping in all the wrong ways. "Yes, actually, I do have an idea." I finally say. "Jakob, learn how to use Shurikens from Kaze. Kaze, get Dagger training from Jakob." My tone is firm. "But, most importantly, learn how to work with each other!"
"Of course, my liege." Kaze bows.
"Shurikens… very well, Lady Corrin." Jakob also bows.
"Good. Kaze, get Rinkah. Jakob, get Lilith. I need a break, and I told them I would spar with Rinkah."
"...This isn't part of this 'Rage' Training she wanted last time, is it?" Jakob asks as Kaze heads out.
"No, it isn't. Lilith specifically asked for Rinkah." I pull my most determined and 'totally-not-lying' face, and then drink some tea. And then Jakob leaves. I sigh several seconds after he leaves. It's alright, I'll be healed before I leave, "Izumo can't come fast enough." I look over the documents once more, before neatly putting them away and grabbing Purotekutā no Kyōdai ai… time to see what Rinkah wants to deal out.
A half day in Lilith's Astral Realm later, and barely an hour has passed out here… a phenomena I don't think I'll ever be able to acquaint with. I feel a bit sore, but more than satisfied with the outcome… even if Lilith had to expend quite the bit of magic to undo the damage done by Rinkah's slams. Ah yes, thinking of Lilith… she did look quite drained afterward, and she's currently slugging at the back of the march, hitching a ride on our Convoy.
… Our nearly empty Convoy. My mind sweeps back to the paperwork I had laid out earlier, and the rough estimate of the prices that will need to be spent to upkeep our weapons and armor. "What would you do in this situation, Xander?" I find myself asking me. "Or maybe even Leo, he was always good at managing schedules and coin."
Still, a part of me had fun. Locked into battle with a partner that could send my Draconic Hide flying with a single swing of her mace. Rinkah too, had fun, despite her adamantly denying the fact. However, I wasn't able to draw that brief moment I saw out of Rinkah, like she was able to do back when we fought that giant Faceless. The thought irks me to no end, because I know what I saw.
And I saw Rinkah adorned with red scales instead of darkened skin.
Yet, even if she was Manakete, or Half-Manakete, she's also clearly taller than either Lilith or myself, to which, according to Lilith, means she isn't of Manakete blood. Of course, this also means I'm doomed to be short and flat for the next few hundred years or so. Elise could end up looking more like a matured woman that I will be. The same can be said for Sakura. Then again, those comparisons don't hold as much merit, knowing I'm not even blood-related to them.
"Hey, sis." Hinoka startles me out of my thoughts, nudging me on my side, "Oh, sorry, uh… you're getting that 'Overwhelmed' look on your face, used to see it with Ryoma and Takumi. What's on your mind?"
"Army management." I simply reply. "We won't be able to handle many more large-scale battles until we can secure weapon and armor repairs… and gold."
"Anything I can do?" She gives me an intense look, her red eyes burning bright once more.
"Who's on Scouting duty? We might need to look into finding a town with a forge. Ngh, I knew we should've picked up a few spare weapons back at Fort Jinya!" I groan, rubbing my forehead. "Actually no, don't answer that, it's probably either Subaki or Lathna… how did Azura do yesterday?"
Hinoka… smirks? "Ah, I get it now. Someone is overworking themselves!" She suddenly wraps an arm around my shoulder, well actually, considering the length of her arm over my short-self, it's far enough to nearly reach my chest. "Azura did pretty well, I think… which reminds me, why did you choose her?"
"I'm the Commander to an army that I didn't really ask for in the first place. Big sis, whenever I imagined myself fighting, it would've been under another's command." I tell her, "Or rather, to be more specific, under Xander's command." I proceed to think, before speaking up again, "Why weren't you chosen? I mean, you are the head of the Sky Knights, right?"
She pauses, keeping her arm in place while we walk, "A fair point, but I'm afraid I share a rather… well, annoying trait in the family, something everyone except you and Sakura seemed to have inherit from our grandmother… and that is a headstrong approach. We do try to think things through, but when it comes down to it, we'd rather go into the front lines and deal with the problem ourselves…" She explains, "That, and tactics are… not my thing. Ryoma's better at it then I am, as is Takumi."
"It's not annoying, sis, it's, uh... charming?" I try to smile off. "But, still, I don't know why I was chosen over everyone else…"
She doesn't smile. "Reina was supposed to lead." Hinoka's form gets stiff, and she pulls her arm away. "And I was to take the lead for the Kinshi Knights in her stead."
She looks hurt, I don't need to know her past to know that she held a connection to Reina… hrm. "Yes, that assassin…"
"How?!" She suddenly asks, "Reina is, bar none, the best flying soldier we have, period. She has outmaneuvered obstacles and challenges that I can't even imagine completing on my own, and yet… somehow a random stranger, that you think isn't even Nohrian somehow sniped her from the sky?"
Piecing things together, trying not to get overwhelmed… "Sis?"
"She almost died. Dawnchaser scraped by within an inch of his life! And this is within two weeks of Mother dying, too?! Not to mention how…" Her rant is cut off by…
"When in doubt, hug it out." I say as I grip her sides together. "There's nothing wrong with holding grief, anger, or sorrow… just don't let it hang too long, or else it starts growing legs and arms and crawls over the rest of you."
Calming Technique: Camilla-Style
It takes a few seconds after she registers the hug, but she does end up returning it… then her grip tightens and I hear her begin to sob. Yep… that was the problem. I wonder how often Hinoka does this? Because unlike Camilla, Hinoka seems… too focused on training. Hrm.
"I think I'll have her attend some relaxing Princess-y activities when we get to Izumo."
"Commander Corrin!" Subaki swoops down on his Pegasus, "Village ahead, and I spied the bellows of a forge!"
"Sounds like a good stop to be made. We should take some time to prime our weapons while we have the chance." I reply, thinking… "We also have funds, I'd like for the aforementioned units to get their hands on the weapons they were willing to learn."
"Wow! So, I can get a new Katana?" Hana asks.
"How about adding some more weight to my Mace? I think I smashed some off last time." Rinkah.
"I broke my Yumi's string this morning…" Setsuna drawls out.
"As well as my Festal!" Azama remarks.
"Hold on, now. We don't have enough to cover everyone." I call back, hushing them. "I looked over the Convoy as well as everyone's current weapon…" I pull out a sheet. "And going by the estimates for the average upkeep of a weapon, I already pre-planned who's getting what from the army's funds. If you want more, then you're going to have to pay out of your own earnings."
"...The only new weapons on there are for the selected trainees." Lathna speaks up, tilting her head.
"Forging more metal to a blade is cheaper than buying a brand new one."
"Uh, it's also risky. Katanas can end up breaking under the pressure if the metal isn't added on right." Hana brings up. "Normally Samurais don't bother reforging their Katanas unless it's an heirloom, or it's at least made with Steel."
I hold back a groan, as hard as it is, "I'm… really starting to dislike katanas. What a…"
"And the old Katana?" I push those thoughts away and ask.
"We give them to the smithies, of course. Better off breaking the handle off and re-using the metal again!" Hana smiles, "What? Did you think we'd just throw it away?"
"Yes… yes, actually."
"Hey, if you're gonna toss your Katana to that smithy, then I'd like your scrap metal to make my Mace hit a little harder!" Rinkah exclaims.
"Actually, I was thinking about using that metal to get my chest armor fixed." Hana shakes her head.
"Chest armor? For what? You're flatter than my father!" Rinkah 'accuses'.
"I most certainly do have ample chests! I wear a sarashi under my armor!" Her face flushes a bit. "As any self-respecting fighter would."
"Ah… no. That line immediately causes me to think of Camilla and how her chest… actually, I'm pretty sure if she tried to restrain those, then they'd burst free and knock somebody out…"
"U-um… c-can I get a… Scroll, sister?" Sakura asks me, slowly raising her hand. "I m-mean, I kn-know I'm not on that list, but…"
"Poor Sakura, being overwhelmed in all of this talk."
"Unless someone is willing to forgo having their own weapon forged…" I trail off.
"Am I getting a new bow string or nah?" Setsuna brings up… again.
"Where's your bow strings?" I question.
"All of them snapped… I've been out for the last two days."
"By the gods… what was going through my Sister's mind when she picked you?"
"We'll pick up some bow strings, those are at least really cheap."
"Thaaaank you, Laaady Corrin~!" She smiles.
"Maybe a few Daggers?" Felicia squeaks. "I bet even a good kitchen knife could cut better than what I'm using!"
"I just inspected your Dagger earlier! What did you do to it!?" I ask.
She nervously smiles, and reaches up to twirl her ponytail… "W-well, ha ha, you see…"
"Oh… Felicia. Gods I love you and your antics… but I also hate your antics."
"She foolishly stumbled around your tent and ended up flash-freezing her Dagger when she dropped a plate of biscuits." Jakob openly chides her. "And now the Dagger is brittle beyond repair."
"Jakob, enough. Thank you. Felicia, I'll try to get you a new Dagger, but you might have to start working with Shurikens for the time being."
"Sh-Shurikens! But they have four pointy ends! Which side am I supposed to hold it?"
"Miss Felicia, if you don't mind, I can train you in Shurikens." Kaze suggests.
"Any preference for me, Lady Corrin?" Subaki asks, because of course he does.
"We have plenty of physical-based soldiers, I need some to step up and work on their magic… a Scroll, and you might as well pick up a Bloom Festal or two, should they have any." I tell him. "You can also go on ahead with Hinoka, Lathna, and Lilith, we'll be behind shortly."
"But you already should've known the answer to that question, 'perfectionist'."
"Sure thing, Commander." Hinoka notes, mounting Firechaser. "Let's go, boy!"
"WHOO!" Lathna bolts into the sky atop of Jiyū.
"Don't be long…" Lilith shifts into her Dragon Form, and floats off.
"My lady?" Jakob asks.
"Yes?"
"There is soot on the back of your leg armor…"
"Your hair also has some burnt endings to it." Kaze adds.
…
"This is not what I meant when I said you two needed to work together!" I internally scream in my head.
A/N: Ah, a chapter filled with (almost) nothing important… just random drabble while I 'maybe' get my bearings together to actually start typing more.
Cheers? Cheers!