melodiesofeternity | [Closed] Serge has a present from the Cloud

"Yeah," Serge agrees. He'd be lying if he said the things he'd seen hadn't... had an effect. But it's not Corrin's fault. He'll do his best to help her out, regardless.

Corrin nods, smiling a little. "Thank you both. In that case...let's be off." This time there's no hesitation as she leaps from the deck of the airship. Floating in the Dream Width, she turns back to Serge and Kid. "This way." Then continues heading further in.

Serge follows, moving through the Cloud behind Corrin. All these problems he pushes out of his mind. He'll deal with them later. "Man, what a ride today's been, huh? Maybe we'll get lucky and that weird... memory-stuff won't happen."

Kid navigated through the Dream Width better this time, looking away with a reluctant "Y-yeah..." in agreement. Part of her was still mortified she'd fallen for it all. Was it her fault? Because she wanted so much for it to be true?

Shaking her head, she looked forward again, furrowing her brow in concentration.

Corrin's right; they're not far out from the airship when she sees it, floating nearby in the distance, a familiar-looking blade, the sight of which causes Corrin's heart to jump. She's heard it called many things; the Blade of Salvation, the Seal of Flames, the Sword of Divine Darkness..but its true name rang out in her soul the first time it ever flew to her hand, moulding itself to her like she'd wielded it her whole life.

Shadow Yato.

"...I see it." She says, pointing towards the sword floating a short distance away from them. She can already feel the sword calling out to her. "Okay. Are you two ready?" She asks, turning back to the other two. Because I'm not sure I am.

Edited 2018-11-30 05:37 (UTC)

That sword almost seemed to glitter and gleam in the floating space— tickling all of Kid's treasure-seeking senses. But she was containing herself and that curiosity, knowing what had happened when she's tried to reach out for the broken Dragon Tear not that long ago.

There's a glance at her partner in crime, then back to Corrin, and a nod. "Let's do it, Corrin!"

Serge, in spite of everything, puts a hand on Corrin's shoulder. "We're with you, Corrin. And if you get lost in things, no worries. We'll help you either way, okay?"

Corrin smiles at their reassurances they've got her back. "All right then. Serge, if you'd be so kind as to pull back a bit..." Even with her heart pounding in her chest at the possibility of what might happen, Corrin just can't resist the urge to show off, just a little bit.

Once Serge pulls back a bit, Corrin turns to look to Shadow Yato. She can feel it pulling her...but at the same time she knows she's doing the same to it. So she just stretches her hand out, palm open towards the sword. For a moment, nothing happens...and then Shadow Yato begins to twitch.

Then it suddenly shoots towards Corrin, spinning wildly as it does so. Despite the danger, Corrin's expression is carefully neutral, despite the obvious danger. The sword spins towards her and then...directly into her hand.

And once again they're falling through darkness. Then a cacophony of voices and images. Through the commotion, at least some of the voices are recognizably Corrin speaking.

You are my child now.
My sweet little girl, I’ve missed you so much.
Her name is Kamui.
MOTHER!
Nohrian scum!
Come home, Little Princess.
Nohr is my home. It’s where I belong.
I’ll drag you back to Hoshido by force, Kamui!
It doesn’t matter anymore.
Princess Traitor!
Welcome home, Kamui.

Images of people flash by. A handsome, yet stern-looking man in black armour with a regal bearing, a crown of iron laurels around his head, spars with Corrin on the battlements of a lonely fortress in a mountainous, barren land under dark skies. A stunningly beautiful woman with long violet hair and a warm, almost maternal smile, on the back of an enormous black, red-eyed wyvern, effortlessly strikes down two soldiers with a blood-stained battleaxe. A serious-looking younger man in plate armour and a large collar (that also happens to be inside-out), carrying an open leather-bound tome, its pages emitting a faint glow. A young girl with blonde hair in enormous twintails wearing an elaborate black dress, grinning happily, and excitedly pulling Corrin by the hand. A young knight with messy, gray hair, smiling at Corrin as he slips a ring onto her finger. Corrin kneeling down and opening her arms as a young boy, barely more then ten, his hair the same colour of gray as knight’s and his ears pointed like hers, runs towards her and embraces her. A teenage girl, her bobbed hair the same pale white colour as Corrin’s, on horseback, pausing to wave to her before having to stop and get her slightly unruly horse back under control with a look of alarm.

A young woman with long, light blue hair in an elegant white dress, standing by a lake at sunset, singing a song about waves and seeking a distant shore, the lyrics intermingling with the voices from Corrin’s memory currently assaulting them.

An explosion of light, debris flying towards her, a black-haired woman in white robes throwing herself between Corrin and the blast, sacrificing herself to save her.

The images and voices merge together in a huge cacophony until in a moment they fade, leaving only only darkness. Then they hear a voice speaking; it’s unmistakably Corrin’s but the tone is one unfamiliar to them; hollow, and haunted.

It’s true. I killed her.

I killed Hinoka.

Suddenly, the darkness pulls back, revealing that Serge and Kid are standing in what appears to be the hallway of a large, Eastern-style building, possibly a manor, or castle. The hallway stretches to either side of them, with passages to the north at either end. Directly ahead of them, an entrance is barred by a set of heavy iron gates, blocking their path. The room ahead is still dark. Corrin is nowhere to be seen.

As soon as Corrin beckoned the sword, Kid's arms went up in front of herself defensively, then squinting through the assault of voices and song— the clamour of weapons and horses. With that bright flash of light she has to turn away, just at the moment that black haired woman threw herself in front of Corrin, and keeping her eyes closed as that empty voice speaks.

When things suddenly go quiet, that's the moment those arms finally lower just a little, trying to make sense of what she'd just been blasted through.

She dug her heels in, leaning just slightly in search of the warmth of Serge's back— and looking around at their new surroundings as things slowed down, at last.

"Cripes! That was..." she turned, finding no trace of their friend. "Corrin?"

It’s hard to make sense of it all, though Serge has to admit it’s at least easier to keep his bearings now he hasn’t got a whole other set of memories twisting around in his head.
In the end, the darkness fades, and he finds himself backing against Kid as well, reassured at least by the fact that she’s there. “Okay! Kiiinda starting to not like the Cloud too much. Just checking, we’ve both got our heads screwed on straight, right?” He grins back a little, getting used to the weight of the spear in his hands, familiar but not.
“Right. So is it Corrin’s turn to get all… like I was, or was that just because that was kind-of-my-memories-but-kinda-not?” Either way, finding her is gonna be important.

As they take their bearings however, Serge and Kid will see flames erupt from braziers in the barred room ahead of them, revealing what appears to be a large training hall or dojo of some sort. Inside the chamber, cut off from them, is Corrin, wearing a decidedly different outfit than what they will have seen her in, holding the sword that put them all in this mess to begin with.

Standing in front of her is a man dressed in the ornate red armour of a samurai, with a wild mane of long brown hair. In his right hand he carries a long katana, the blade of which crackles and sparks with electricity. His expression is one of absolute fury. Corrin has her her other hand up, and appears to be pleading with him.

“Ryoma-big brother-please, I can explain everything, even Hinoka if you just-”

“ENOUGH OF YOUR LIES!” The samurai-Ryoma-roars. "I wanted so badly to believe that your actions were not your own, that I could save you...but now I see that Nohr has corrupted you completely. If I had only acted sooner, I could have saved Hinoka and the others.” He raises the katana. “You are no sister of mine, Princess of Nohr! I will avenge my family, save Hoshido, and put to rest the spirit of my beloved sister Kamui…by slaying you!”

“No! We don’t have to do this, listen to me, please!”

“Defend yourself!” Ryoma leaps forward to attack her, Corrin only barely managing to raise her own blade in time. Sparks fly off Ryoma’s katana as the blade connects with Corrin’s. “I see you brought reinforcements like the honourless Nohrian dog that you are.” He spits at her as they cross blades. “They can’t save you. Saizo and Kagero guard the controls to the gate, and they will never allow any of your lackeys to interfere!”

Corrin manages to glance back at the others briefly, through the gates. It’s…members of the Nohrian army? Yes, they must be, but she’s too occupied right now to see which ones. Her siblings must have sent them, because they’re…elsewhere. They had to…do…wait, this doesn’t matter right now. “Help me, please! I need to get Ryoma to listen to me!”

[Corrin has forsaken her Birthright as a Princess of Hoshido, and has joined her adopted family, the royal house of Nohr, in its Conquest of her one-time home. To help her, Serge and Kid must reach the gate controls, which are being guarded by Ryoma’s two retainers, the ninja Saizo and Kagero. Corrin will hold out as long as she can, but it is unlikely she will be able to defeat Ryoma on her own.

Good luck.]

Edited 2018-12-01 04:37 (UTC)

There's a scowl to meet Serge from over her shoulder, but it's half-hearted at best. "Head's all there," at least, it seemed like it was, "but this dagger's sure new!" New, and a lot more shiny— just the way she liked it. "Whaddya ya say we—" whatever she was about to say was cut off by the sudden fire lighting the torches to the way ahead.

There's a low grown that comes from Kid just after that— usually when braziers had a way of lighting themselves and offering a pathway, it meant nothing good. "Nevermind, that answers that. C'mon!" And she's off, right up to wrap her hands around the bars of the gate that blocked their way, pulling at them with futility as a confrontation with some decked out-probably-nobleman-but-apparently-Corrin's-brother spouted some crap about laying her friend with a new fashion sense to rest.

"Oi! Ya heard her, didn't ya?! Cut it out!" Family... was so complicated sometimes.

Serge looks back at Kid, at the gate, at Corrin in danger... and back at the guarded gate controls. "Well. It's only a memory, right? What's the worst that could happen?" Other thanme having to watch you get hurt again.

Serge grips his lance, and advances. "No chance of you guys letting us at the controls?"

The two ninja don't respond, but simply ready their weapons. It's going to be a fight.

The first, a brawny man in a dark red gi that matches his hair and a ninja's half-mask that does little to hide his expression of intense anger produces a single shuriken in his hand with a flick of his wrist. As Serge approaches, he whips it towards the boy, and somehow, as it spins through the air towards him, it erupts in flames.

Meanwhile, the second ninja, a woman with dark hair in a long ponytail and a much calmer expression than her partner, draws a silvery katana from a sheath at her waist that gleams much like Kid's dagger. As Saizo's shuriken flies toward Serge, Kagero darts forward towards Kid and slashes at her with the blade.

Edited 2018-12-12 03:34 (UTC)

"Take that as a 'no' then—" she answers Serge's question in the ninjas' place. "Well!" Kid proclaimed, lowering herself into a battle-ready stance, "No one can say we didn't try to keep it friendly! Ya ready, mate? Here they come!"

With a loud CLANG she meets the katana with the blunt side of her silvery dagger, the pain in her abdomen almost completely forgotten thanks to this new world, and pushes back.

"Gonna have to try harder'n that!" she seethes through her teeth, allowing herself just a half-second to see that Serge is handling the other guy all right.

Edited 2018-12-12 05:32 (UTC)

"Whoah!" Serge rolls to duck under the shuriken, before charging. "Okay. Hey, I was gonna seriously offer you a shot at walking away, but if you're gonna keep me from helping a friend-"

He throws all his weight into a thrust, going straight for the ninja's gut. "Then I'm not gonna keep playing nice!"

Kagero attempts to force her blade through, but Kid is able to force her back. As she leaps backwards however, there's a glint of metal in her hand and she throws a shuriken of her own at Kid, more to distract her than anything else and ready a second attack.

Saizo meanwhile, sees Serge's thrust coming and then is suddenly...just not there. The movement happens so quickly it appears almost instantaneous. Hoshidan ninja are well known for their evasiveness in combat. And then again he's leapt in from the side for an attack, holding yet another shuriken but this time grasped tightly between his fingers, and attempting to slash Serge directly with it. At least this time it's not on fire.

From within the chamber where Corrin is battling Ryoma, the sounds of battle can still be heard, the clang of steel on steel. For the time being she appears to have given up on trying to convince her brother to end his attack and is focused mainly on surviving until Serge and Kid can get in.

Once their connection breaks, Kid whips her dagger-hand away, ready to strike again if need be but instead— finds herself evading the throwing star with ease. In fact she felt... light. Lighter than usual, like her agility had been boosted somehow.

With that, she's sprinting forward, arms straight behind her as she runs, heading straight for the female ninja with a mischievous glint in her blue eyes as at the last minute she jumps— and brandishes her weapon again, twisting her body into a spinning slash with the intention of landing a flurry of blows with the constant motion.

"We ain't got time for this, Corrin needs us!" if the battle-sounds coming from that way were any indication.

Serge tries to duck out of the way- but he's not the fastest or the most evasive. He gets a shuriken to the shoulder, and responds by changing tactics and using his spear as leverage to push the ninja back, in an attempt to bear him to the ground.

Kagero is taken by surprise by Kid's sudden leap and isn't able to properly defend herself in time, taking multiple quick strikes from the dagger. In fact, Kid strikes truer than she realizes, as Kagero's eyes-at least the one eye that's visible and not hidden behind her hair-go wide and she gasps in pain, and falls backwards, apparently mortally wounded by Kid's [Lethality].

As she lies on the ground, her breath ragged, she finally speaks. "This is it. This is the end. Lord Ryoma...Saizo...It was an honor...to fight beside you both. If only I could have lived to see...Hoshido achieve...true peace..." and then, with a small sigh, she dies.

Unfortunately, her death seems to have only galvanized Saizo as with a roar he leaps at Serge with his shuriken, taking a blow from the spear as he does so, but fighting with the fury of a corner animal. Even as he slashes again at Serge with his shuriken, the poison that coats it-Hoshidan ninja are well-versed in all manner of debilitating toxins-takes effect, causing additional damage.

Serge feels the burn in the wound. He's never actually been poisoned before, but he knows that, somehow, something's gone wrong. He blocks a thrust before swinging downwards in a two-handed overhead. "Dammit- you could've stood down!" He keeps advancing, swinging instead in a diagonal slash from below. "We asked you to let us help her!" He charges, putting as much speed and weight into a forward thrust.

There's a moment where Kid is just standing there, as the blood drips from her blade, looking down at the dying Kagero... and with those last words, and those agonal breaths— she bows her head. She didn't know what any of it meant, Ryoma, Saizo, Hoshido... but she didn't like taking a life needlessly and that was what this felt like.

It's a memory... She tried to remind herself. Just a memory...

It's Serge's voice that brings her back into the moment. As he poised himself for that forward thrust, she's running, then leaping up from behind him, ready to strike down from the top, a wild look in her blue eyes as the motion pushed her bangs back.

Kid's timely attack leaves Saizo no room to dodge, and he is struck by both of them. Again, even though their intent was not to kill, Saizo-or at least the memory of Saizo-reacts as though the wounds are fatal, falling to his knees with a gasp, clutching at his chest.

"I have failed...Lord Ryoma." He whispers through ragged breaths. "Though I must die...my words remain true. I will always believe in Hoshido..." He stares up at Serge and Kid with burning hate in his eyes. "We will win this war...the world will...one day...know peace..." And then he slumps forward onto the ground, and is silent.

They do not have long to reflect upon their actions however, as suddenly they hear a cry of pain from Corrin, still trapped with Ryoma. The two levers that will open the door to help her are now accessible.

Serge is panting, looking down at the dying man, and he feels ill- It wasn't me who did this. It's Corrin's Memory.

He's taken out of the moment by Corrin's cry, and already he's scrambling for the controls, pulling at them to open the gate. No time to waste. "We're coming, just hang in there, Corrin!"

With the two levers flipped, the doors that bar the way to the hall where Corrin is dueling Ryoma slide open. Rushing into the room will see their friend just barely holding off an assault from the red-armoured High Prince. With one hand she clutches Yato; the other is held to a wound on her side. The problem is apparent; Corrin is not fighting to kill, but Ryoma is.

"It's time, Corrin!" Ryoma snarls. "Show me the power that you used to slay our sister! Or does the Yato repel at your touch now that your heart and soul are dead?"

"Ryoma...brother, please, stop this!" Corrin manages through panting, heaving breaths. "I don't want to fight you! I can explain everything, even Hinoka if you'd just listen to me!"

Ryoma barks out a laugh. "As though I would allow you to distract me with false remorse. How dare you call me brother after killing Hinoka? You are nothing to me! Just a filthy coward like the rest of your kingdom. I have said all I wish to say to you. Nothing you can do will sway me. You are no sister of mine, Nohrian princess! I swear by my sacred blade, I shall take back whatever Hoshidan blood still remains in you!"

"Ryoma, no!" Corrin cries, but then she sees Serge and Kid rushing in, and she cannot stop the look of elation at her rescue. Ryoma catches it, turns, and sees them.

"Only an honourless boor would interfere with a duel!" He raises his katana, and after a moment points it...at Kid.

"Kid, watch out for the lightning!" Corrin calls to her just before the lightning that continually surrounds Raijinto's blade arcs forward at Ryoma's command towards the other girl.

But with his attention now divided, Corrin presses her attack, leaping forward to engage Ryoma, her hand dropping away from the wound as she does so. It would seem she was feigning how badly he had actually hurt her, and now with her allies here, it's time to finish this.

It's a dishonourable tactic, she knows, but she was forced into this duel against her will in the first place, and frankly, she doesn't have time for this. After all, duels of this nature are the Hoshidan way...and Corrin is no Hoshidan.

Edited 2019-01-14 05:32 (UTC)

[Closed] Serge has a present from the Cloud

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